


Pomp(ous arrogance) and Circumstance(s which brought us together)

by lavieboheme0919



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Adorable Isaac, Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Barebacking, Blow Jobs, Deities, Derek is a knight, Evil Peter Hale, Family Drama, Fireworks, Grief/Mourning, Hate Sex, It will all make sense once you read it, M/M, Modern Royalty, Multiple Orgasms, Non-Canonical Character Death, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Orphanage, PTSD Derek, PTSD Isaac, Past Child Abuse, Post-War, Rape, Rape Recovery, Reminiscing, Runes, Shower Sex, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Soldier Derek, Spooning, Stiles and Derek dislike each other, Stiles is a Little Shit, Stiles says very hurtful things when he's not thinking, Talia and John need to make better decisions, Werewolf Hunters, stiles is a lord and runs an orphanage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-02-13 17:31:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 83,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2159133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavieboheme0919/pseuds/lavieboheme0919
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the Modern Royalty AU gifset by Tumblr user "Team Sciles"</p>
<p>Things start getting back to normal after the Hunters War in which the werewolves fought alongside the humans against Gerard Argent’s tyranny. To prove that both species can live in peace, two of the most influential Californian families – The Hales (werewolves) and The Stilinskis (humans) – decide to arrange a marriage between their children. Derek Hale and Stanisław (just call me “Stiles”) Stilinski seem like a perfect match. The first is a knight. The other runs an orphanage and the public simply adores them, even more now that they’re about to get married and act all lovey-dovey wherever they go. But when the lights dim down and there’s nobody to witness it, the truth comes out: these two hate each other.<br/>Well, it just makes the sex that much better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Modern Royalty AU Gifset](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/68346) by teamsciles. 



> The original concept for this story is not of my origination and all credit for it goes to tumblr user "teamsciles" and feel free to give that person all the praise they deserve. I have obtained permission from them to write this story based on the gifset they created.

"It's a time for celebration, really," said the handsome man on TV. Stiles rolled his eyes as he watched the interview. "Our country is coming out of a civil war. We were able to save it from destruction from some truly evil people, and we showed the world that even though our country is deeply divided on many issues, we can come together and put aside basic differences."

The interviewer nodded as she smiled. "But there are still many who are wholeheartedly against Werewolves 'coming out of the moonlight' so-to-speak. The revelation that werewolves exist forced the nation to restructure from a state-system to territories and most of the people in charge  _are_ , in fact, werewolves. Your mother being one of them."

The handsome man seemed unfazed by the covert anti-Werewolf sentiment hiding between the reporter's words. "What they're not understanding is that each territory has one Werewolf leader and one human leader who work in tandem to ensure peace. Werewolves just want to coexist alongside humans. There were people who came out in droves to protest a little girl going to school just because she was black and the school she was going to was predominately white. We look back at that and think that those people were ignorant and racist. There were people who stood outside courthouses with signs condemning people because they were gay. We look back on that and think see that they were homophobic and ignorant. And the people who don't see that this new system is better are guilty of the same backwards way of thinking that affected previous civil rights issues. There will always be people who dislike others because they're slightly different. I think the fact that we're more than a decade out of a civil war against a man like Gerard Argent is proof positive of that."

"And how do you respond to the claim that this new system subverted democracy, since it established a monarchy system of dynastic rule among people who fought in the war?" the interviewer asked.

Again, the man's smile covered the annoyance he felt. "The old system allowed for a man like Gerard Argent to become incredibly powerful and then millions of people were killed. Humans and Werewolves alike."

"Statistically speaking, more humans died than werewolves," she said.

"But Lauren, statistically speaking, there are more humans in this nation than there are werewolves. A higher percentage of the people killed during the Hunters War were Werewolves. But I think that instead of nitpicking the details of how many of which species died, we should be, as a community and as a country, looking at how to prevent this tragedy from ever happening again and how to help the people whose lives have been completely upended by the Hunters. Which, if we're keeping score, and I'm quite sure that you are… they were all human." The banner beneath the man reappeared. The words  _Beta Derek Hale, Werewolf Knight_ faded as the network cut to commercial break.

Stiles sneered. He could tell that the reporter was being incredibly racist and completely lacked journalistic tact, but he had to admit that he rather enjoyed watching Derek Hale being given this line of questioning on national TV. He stood up, turning around to see Ana, one of the children in his care staring at the image of Derek on the screen. "He's so brave…" she said.

"He's a douche," Stiles replied. He squatted down so he could be eye level to her. "Why aren't you in bed, little one?"

"I had a bad dream," she said.

Stiles wasn't surprised. Ana often had bad dreams. "Was it the same one?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, it was different."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ana shook her head again. "Follow me," he said, holding out his hand. She grasped it and he led her to the kitchen of the orphanage. This was a nearly nightly routine for them. Stiles grabbed a loaf of bread and took some jelly out of the fridge. Ana was allergic to peanuts, so he always put honey on her sandwich instead. He cut the crusts off before cutting the sandwich in half diagonally, which Ana insisted made it taste better. He gave one half to Ana and bit into the other half. "Where's Mr. Derek?" she asked after swallowing her first bite.

"He's in Los Angeles right now," Stiles replied.

"Why doesn't he come here more often?" Ana asked.

"Because I don't want him to be here," Stiles said.

"Is it because he's…" Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to search her six-year-old vocabulary for the right word to use. Instead, she borrowed from Stiles'. "A douche?"

Stiles laughed. "Yep. It's because he's a douche."

"But he's a knight and a prince! And you two are getting married!" Ana exclaimed. He smiled at her. He wished he could view this entire situation through her eyes. But it was so much more complicated than she or anyone else even knew.

Stiles utterly despised the man he'd just been watching on television. It wasn't because Derek Hale was a Werewolf. It was because he and Derek Hale were bethrothed.

* * *

_The new moon made the darkness of night seem all the more terrifying, considering the horrors people knew to exist in the world. Lord John Stilinski, the leading General of the Hunters War stood outside his car waiting for his visitor to arrive. He leaned down and looked into the mirror, unable to see much, but adjusted his collar as he stood up just to be sure. A rustling sound could be heard to his right. His head jerked in the direction as he saw a set of glowing red eyes flanked by another set of glowing blue ones._

_As they approached, John could see the red eyes belonged to Talia Hale. She was formerly the Alpha of Beacon Hills, a small town in Northern California, but was elected as the head Werewolf of the Territory of California after the war. He had only met her once before, but they communicated often since she was his counterpart. John had been the winningest General in the fight against the Hunters. "Alpha Hale," John said, bowing his head. "It's an honor to meet you."_

" _Lord Stilinski," Talia replied. "The honor is all mine."_

" _It's a shame we don't meet more often," John said. "We do rule California together."_

" _Well, if you're serious about your proposal, we'll become family," Talia said. "We'll be seeing each other quite often."_

" _I'm very serious. Our people are still divided," John said. "We need to show them that we can work side-by-side just like we did during the war."_

" _I agree. My son, Derek, has agreed to marry Stanisław and unite our families," Talia said. The blue-eyed beta who stood behind her stepped forward. He saluted John._

" _Hello Derek," John said. "It's good to see you again."_

" _Thank you, General," Derek replied, showing the same serene smile his mother had._

" _So where is your son?" Talia asked._

_John shifted slightly. "He's at his Orphanage. He sort of refused to come."_

_Talia gave a light laugh. "He's not happy about the arranged marriage, is he?"_

_John shook his head. "No he is not… In his words, 'Why do I have to submit to an outdated centuries-old practice that completely invalidates the notions of love and autonomy?' So I decided that this particular act of diplomacy had better be left to those better equipped to handle it."_

" _He's probably just nervous. He'll come around," Derek said._

" _It won't be a difficult sell to the public. Both Derek and Stanisław are well-liked by the people. The PR practically takes care of itself," Talia said. "We just need to have them seen in public before we make the announcement. It needs to look organic."_

" _I agree. But it will be easier to convince my son to go along with this if we call him Stiles instead of Stanisław," John pointed out._

* * *

Stiles knew he needed to go to bed soon, but waited until Ana was once again falling asleep. He gingerly picked her up, carrying her back into the room with the other beds. He couldn't wait for the new wing to be done so that the children in his care would have more room. As he pulled the blanket over Ana, he looked around. Everyone else was sleeping soundly. He smiled as he quietly stepped out of the room and went upstairs to his suite. He was to have his first public outing with Derek the next day. His best friend, Scott, was going to watch over the children in his absence. He didn't want to leave them, though… least of all to play happy couple with Derek Hale.

Snippets of Derek's interview were already being shown on other news stations as Stiles flipped through the channels. Each time he saw Derek's face, he felt angrier and angrier at the situation he was in. Why couldn't Derek have been betrothed to someone who could keep up with is vapid socialite career? Stiles had an orphanage to run and had done a very good job of staying out of the limelight for the majority of the time since the War. Occasionally paparazzi would show up on the grounds of the orphanage and Stiles would call the police to have them removed, or he'd be seen out shopping for supplies and end up on the cover of some gossip rag. But that was the price of being Royal. He didn't care what was said about him, so long as it didn't affect his kids.

Stiles fell asleep crunching numbers in his head and preparing lists of information Scott would need, since many of the staff members were off during the weekends.

The next morning, Stiles woke up to a young boy sitting at the foot of his bed. It startled him at first, which caused the boy to cry. Immediately his protective instincts kicked in and he began doing everything he could to calm the little boy down. "Jacob, what's wrong?"

"Devin said that you're leaving and you're not coming back and I told him he was being stupid so he hit me for calling him stupid. But I didn't call him stupid, but I just said he was  _being_  stupid," Jacob said, speaking so quickly that Stiles feared he would pass out from lack of oxygen. "But he said that you're leaving us to go be with that Derek guy and I told Devin that you're not going to leave us because you love us and he said that Derek is your Knight and you love him more than us."

"Word travels fast here, doesn't it," Stiles chuckled as he patted a smooth spot on the bed inviting Jacob to sit there. He was always impressed at how effectively information spread within the walls of the orphanage. "I'm not leaving you guys forever. Just for a few days. I have something important to do then I'll be back. And I'm going to tell Devin not to hit you. And there's no way I would ever love Derek more than I love each of you."

More tears welled up in Jacob's eyes. "But three days is a long time…"

Stiles wiped them away with his thumb as he smiled at the young boy. "Yeah, it sort of is… but you know what happens when I come back, right?" Jacob shook his head. "I'm bringing presents!"

"Will you bring me a book?" Jacob asked.

"Of course I will, buddy," Stiles replied. "But you've got to be really good while I'm gone. Mr. Scott and Mrs. Kira will tell me if you weren't."

Jacob's face lit up with a huge grin. "I'll be the best."

"You're an overachiever, Jacob," Stiles said, mussing up the kid's hair. "I love it. Now go get ready for breakfast."

As soon as Jacob was gone, Stiles quickly showered and dressed before heading down to the dining hall. He had 34 children in his care. They, along with the staff members who helped him run the orphanage, were his family.

Staff members served the food before sitting among them. Though Stiles didn't hold any religious beliefs, several of the kids did, and as such, Stiles always gave them an opportunity to say a prayer before each meal. As soon as that was over, the kids began digging in.

"So Derek Hale, huh?" one of the staff members said as the din of the kids eating began to fill the dining hall.

"Is there anyone who doesn't know?" Stiles asked exasperatedly.

"I didn't know you two were even dating!" she said. "I must admit that I'm incredibly jealous!"

"Don't be," Stiles replied flatly.

"If you get tired of him, feel free to send him over to me!" she added.

"I'll definitely keep that in mind," Stiles said as he filled his fork with scrambled eggs.

None of them knew that this was arranged. They all thought he'd carried on a secret romance with the son of California's highest-ranking Werewolf. The press was already running wild with the idea of the Hale/Stilinski wedding and Stiles had been instructed to act as though the information regarding his relationship with Derek had been "leaked". What was worse was that today, at their first public outing, Stiles would need to act as though he were happy about being with Derek. The press was billing this as a modern day fairy tale romance, complete with a knight—who just so happened to also be a Werewolf prince.

Though Derek had offered to pick him up, Stiles declined. He would rather have bitten down on a cyanide pill than actually spend three hours alone with Derek in a car. He decided that angry rock music was the most appropriate soundtrack to his drive to the event in San Diego. They were there to open a park to commemorate the decade of peace since the war. Stiles was also going to meet many of the other Alphas of California.

Derek was there waiting as Stiles parked his car. It wasn't his first time meeting Derek, but it  _was_  their first time seeing one another since the information about their upcoming nuptials had been released. Photographers were there to capture the moment. Stiles stared at himself in the rearview mirror. "Time to earn that Academy Award, Stiles. Make them think you're happy." He affixed a convincing, yet entirely fake smile to his face and opened the door, stepping out to the awaiting applause. Stiles could hear one reporter narrating the event into a microphone. "Stanisław 'Stiles' Stilinski is stepping out of his car. His doting fiancé is there to embrace him."

Stiles opened his arms, signaling to Derek that it was time to start the performance. Derek hugged Stiles tightly before bringing him in for a kiss. Stiles kissed back, feeling the need to gargle bleach once they parted. He had never reviled someone so much as he did Derek.

Derek put his hand at the small of Stiles' back guiding him through the throngs of reporters being held back by security guards as they thrust microphones at the couple, snapped photographs, and shouted their incredibly invasive questions. As they walked over to the red carpet, Derek leaned over. "We have to give interviews to CNN and NBC. The BBC sent a correspondent, but I've not gotten word that she has arrived yet."

"How long is this going to last?" Stiles asked. "I just got here and my cheeks are already hurting from the fake smiling."

"Keep smiling," Derek said. "We're seated on the dais next to our parents, in full view of the press."

"Do I have to talk to you the entire time?" Stiles asked, making no point to hide how unhappy he was at the situation.

"I'd prefer it," Derek replied. "It will allow me to get to know you a bit better."

"We don't know each other at all," Stiles pointed out. "How am I supposed to answer questions about our relationship? This is really the first instance of us spending any significant amount of time together."

"Just follow my lead," Derek suggested.

They reached the area where CNN had set up camp. The camera men instructed them where to stand and the reporter began asking them questions. "This seems like a match made in heaven," she began. Stiles stifled the urge to roll his eyes, reminding himself that this was being broadcast on live television. "How did it come about?"

_My father doesn't know the meaning of the term 'parental boundaries'_ , Stiles thought. But Derek spoke up, flashing that nauseatingly perfect smile of his. "It just sort of happened. It's like any good love story. Werewolf meets boy and falls head over heels."

Stiles felt his stomach churn at that comment. "And Stiles, you've really been out of the spotlight in recent years, whereas Derek is travelling around and very much in the public eye. How has that affected the way you two interact."

_Fuck,_  he thought. He knew he needed to be the one to answer, because it would look strange if he deferred to Derek. "Honestly, with technology being what it is, it's really not difficult to carry on a relationship, even when he's travelling all over the place. I've always been a very private person, and I'm usually pretty busy with my orphanage, so we make it work."  _Nailed it_.

"Speaking of the orphanage," the reporter began. "How have the kids reacted to the news?"

_Ana called him a douche_ , Stiles thought. Derek jumped in before he could reply. "They're pretty excited."

"One last question and I'll let you go. Your two families are arguably the most powerful and most important families in California. There's got to be a lot of pressure for you guys to have kids. Have you discussed that?" the reporter asked.

Stiles had to stop himself from asking what cracker jack box this reporter got her degree from if she honestly thought that they'd even be able to have kids. "I've currently got 34 kids, so I think my hands are full," Stiles said curtly.

"I think it's important that we figure ourselves out as a married couple before we open that can of worms," Derek said, adding a slightly more diplomatic tone to Stiles' answer.

"Thank you both for your time and congratulations on your engagement!" the reporter said before signing off.

As they walked toward the NBC tent, Derek muttered, "You didn't have to be so rude."

"It's not any of her business," Stiles replied through gritted teeth as he smiled and waved at the fans. He looked out into the crowds, seeing people who were holding signs that said things like "Marry me instead, Derek Hale!" and "Back off my future Werewolf husband!" Stiles wanted to shout to them that if they wanted Derek, they could have them. He was, however, amused that there was another group of fans holding similar signs that threatened Derek bodily harm for taking Stiles off the market. "If you're looking for a more cooperative fiancé, I think you have your volunteer pool right there."

"I'm not engaged to them, Stiles. I'm betrothed to you," Derek said as the producers approached them, affixing microphones to their lapels and showing them where to stand for their second interview. Stiles decided to pause this conversation, not wanting any of it to be recorded.

The correspondent approached and greeted them. "I'm going to make this as painless for you guys as possible. I'm sure you're sick of having cameras in your face. It's just going to be a few questions about short term and long term plans and I am going to ask one question about Derek's political career. Is that alright?"

"Of course," Derek said. "Just as long as you don't give me the Lauren Williams treatment."

"That was despicable what she did. On behalf of all journalists I apologize," he said.

_I thought it was hilarious_ , Stiles thought.

The camera man announced that they were ready to start filming. He counted them down and then pointed at the correspondent, Jason who began his interview. "I'm Jason Duchene reporting live from the grand opening of the Derek Hale Peace Park. Derek is no longer California's most eligible bachelor as I'm currently standing here with him and his fiancé, Lord Stanisław Stilinski."

"It's 'Stiles', actually," Stiles corrected as politely as possible.

"I do apologize about that," Jason replied. "So both of you are members of the Californian Royal families. Have you known each other for a long time?"

"We met at our parents' coronations," Derek replied. "But we're both really busy so we didn't spend too much time together."

"And Stiles, it's well known that your orphanage is very close to your heart. Are you going to be able to continue to run it while still fulfilling your royal duties once married?"

Stiles pursed his lips. It bothered him that everyone seemed to think that because he was human, he was going to play the role of the doting wife. "There really isn't a force on this planet that will get me to abandon the kids in my care."

Jason seemed taken aback at the strong word choice given as a response to the question. "Well, the public seems to be wholeheartedly supportive of this marriage. How has the People's response affected you?"

"It's great to know that everyone is happy for us," Derek said.

"One last question and I'll let you guys get going. Your sister, Laura, was next in line as Alpha in the Hale family. Last we heard she abdicated her position as Heir Apparent and it passed to you. Are you at all nervous about the idea of becoming the territory's next reigning monarch? You're already a decorated Knight, and you fought during the war, but many people are calling you a politician now. Is there any truth behind that claim?"

"Honestly, my family was just as shocked as the public was. I love my sister but I definitely understand her reasons and it has been rather strange having to step up and take over in that manner, but my mom is the Alpha right now and she's still quite young and healthy so I don't foresee me actually becoming Alpha for a very long time. So until then, I can simply spend time with my soon-to-be husband and work on more pressing diplomatic issues that we're facing. We  _are_  still trying to rebuild after the war. It's been a decade, but we still have so much more to do and we can't afford not to continue with the progress we've made toward full integration between humans and werewolves. But I am currently and will continue to be first and foremost a Knight ready to protect and defend the people of this territory if the need arises."

"So you're saying that you're a lover  _and_  a fighter?"

Derek chuckled. "I guess you could put it like that… yeah."

"And as if we didn't already think Stiles was a lucky man to have you! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us," Jason said before addressing the camera. "Reporting live from Los Angeles, I'm Jason Duchene for NBC news." When the cameraman gave the all clear, producers walked over to take the microphones from them and Jason thanked them once again before they continued down the red carpet.

They posed together for several photo opportunities and signed a few autographs before security ushered them past the chaotic mess and into the park toward the dais where Stiles saw his father and Derek's mother and younger sister, Cora. "Where is Laura?" Stiles asked.

"She didn't want to come," Derek replied.

Stiles understood why. Laura had been a great leader. Both she and Derek fought directly under Stiles' father during the war. Like her mother, she was capable of a full-wolf transformation. However during one of the last great battles, she was forced to watch as Gerard Argent himself cut her Mate in half with a broadsword. Laura tore Gerard to shreds, nearly completely losing control. It took three Alphas to pull her off of his remains and Talia herself had to force her out of her shift. The psychological toll it took on her severed her connection to her wolf, possibly permanently There were very few people who actually knew any of that. The story that was allowed to go public was that Laura simply wanted to focus on charity work and no longer wished to inherit the throne of Alpha.

As they approached, Cora smiled brightly at Derek. Stiles bowed respectfully to Talia and took his seat near his father. "I trust you behaved," John said quietly.

"As well as could be expected," Stiles replied.

"So that's a no?" John asked.

"The interviews went great," Derek assured him.

"How was your ride here?" Talia asked Stiles.

"It was lovely," Stiles replied politely. "It was a nice, scenic ride all by myself—which is how I intended to stay for the next few years, actually. Funny how things change like that."

Talia moved her chair backwards and indicated for Stiles to do the same. She leaned behind John and said, "I understand that this isn't the ideal situation for you, Stiles. I truly wish there were another way, but we have to model peaceful coexistence between our species and this is the best way we can."

"I get it, your majesty," Stiles replied. "And I'm willing to go through with the marriage but we need to dispel these circulating notions that I'm just going to be the doting housewife. That might work for Prince William and Princess Kate, but it's not going to work for me. I can't abandon my kids."

"Nobody is asking you to," John interjected. "We're just asking that you are convincing enough to the public that until the wedding happens, nobody suspects that this is anything more than a case of true love."

"And I'll do that as long as you recognize that you whored me out for the sake of a political statement," Stiles said. "So if we're all clear on what this really is, let's enjoy a grand opening, shall we?"

"That's enough, Stiles," John growled.

Talia frowned and they all moved back to the table. Derek leaned over. "We've got three days to spend together. Let's just get through this event and we can go somewhere that's just the two of us and really sit down and talk."

Stiles didn't respond. Instead, he continued smiling his fake smile, looking out over the growing crowd. The seating chart had been drawn up specifically to mix the Werewolf and human guests. This whole charade was about unity, after all, and segregating the Werewolf and human populations at this event was counterintuitive. When the last of the guests had been seated, Talia and John stood up and approached the podium and microphone, Everyone stood up and bowed to them, Derek, Cora, and Stiles included. John and Talia gave everyone permission to be seated.

Stiles gazed into the crowd and was able to pick out a few familiar faces. Nearly every Werewolf leader from across the country was here, and any human who was anyone of note seemed to be there as well. "Thank you and welcome to the grand opening event for the park dedicated to a brave and distinguished man who I had the pleasure of leading into battle during the War many times. And I'm not just doting on him because he's soon to be my son-in-law!"

The crowd laughed. Derek did to, so Stiles faked one and continued half-heartedly paying attention.

"The Hunters War devastated many regions in the United Territories of North America and in the decade since it ended, my son Derek has become a champion of Werewolf rights and through his organization  _The Hale Harvest_ , he has managed to help feed and clothe thousands of families who lost everything in Gerard Argent's pursuit of genocide and destruction." The crowd broke into applause. Stiles turned to Derek and flashed a smile. It must have seemed convincing enough because several people in the front rows gave a collected "aww" as Derek placed his arm around Stiles, giving him a gentle hug. Talia gave them both an approving glance before continuing with her speech. "As you all know, our sons are engaged and no one is happier than we are to see them so in love and so happy." The crowd erupted into even louder applause.

People began chanting "Now kiss!" All eyes on them, Stiles knew that he'd have to make this one even more convincing than the one in the parking lot. He leaned toward Derek and kissed him deeply, eliciting a few whistles from the crowd and yet more deafening applause.

When the kiss broke, the couple looked out over the crowd who were giving them a standing ovation. Knowing that there were werewolves who would be able to hear his snarky commentary, Stiles kept it to himself and instead continued his rather stellar acting.

"This park and our sons' love will forever serve as a reminder of what we can accomplish when humans and Werewolves work together," Talia said.

More applause erupted. When it finally died down, a man stood up. It happened in a blur to Stiles. He shouted a call for human supremacy and pulled out his gun, aiming it at the dais. "Gerard Argent's dream lives on!" he yelled. Talia pushed Cora and John out of the way as Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles and pulled him to the ground. Stiles watched as a bullet whizzed through the air where his head had been just moments prior. Werewolves nearby quickly took the man down, but everyone was shaken.

Derek looked into Stiles' eyes. "Are you alright?"

"You saved my life," Stiles stammered. "Why did you do that?"

"You're my fiancé," Derek replied, standing up when someone shouted that the coast was clear. He extended his arm to help pull Stiles up, but Stiles refused it, choosing to get up on his own.

Everyone looked at Talia and John, both of whom seemed livid. "How was he allowed to get in here?" she demanded.

The Werewolf who had been in charge of security looked just as confused as everyone else. "I'm not sure, Your Majesty. But we'll find out."

"No," Talia said. "I want to question him myself."

"I don't think that's a good idea," the Werewolf said cautiously.

"He attempted to kill the Royal Families," Talia replied severely. "He will answer to me and Lord Stilinski and nobody else."

John looked over at Derek. "Get Stiles out of here. Go somewhere safe."

"Take Cora," Talia added.

Derek nodded, grabbing Stiles' hand and pulling him away. Stiles tried to wriggle out of Derek's grip, but to no use. Cora followed swiftly behind them. Stiles kept yelling at Derek to let him go, but Derek didn't until he was forcing Stiles and Cora into the car. "Where the fuck are we going?" Stiles demanded.

"We have a vacation home outside of Salinas. It's the closest Hale compound to us, and there's really no safer place on earth," Derek replied. Stiles got out his cell phone and began dialing. "Who are you calling?"

"I need to let Scott know that I'm alright. The kids will be worried about me," Stiles replied.

"Not yet," Derek said.

"You might be my fiancé, but you're not my boss, Derek. I have kids who watch the news. They're going to be worried. They deserve to know that I'm alright," Stiles said, dialing Scott's cell.

"Stiles!" Scott breathed. "You're alright!"

"Yeah. It was a close call. Are they alright?" Stiles asked.

"Ana tried to lock herself in the dormitories, but Kira and I were able to get her out and calm her down," Scott assured him.

"Schedule her an emergency meeting with the psychologist," Stiles told her. "She watched her parents get gunned down. This will likely bring up old issues."

"Will do," Scott replied. "Is there any way you can get here sooner?"

"I'll do my best," Stiles promised.

"They'll appreciate it," Scott said.

"Tell them I love them. I'll be home soon," Stiles said before hanging up.

He stared out the window as he watched the reddish mountains pass by en route to the Hale Compound. "Are you going to do the opposite of what I say for the duration of our relationship?" Derek asked.

"If it will annoy you, then yes," Stiles replied.

"Do you think this is fun and games for me?" Derek asked.

"Actually, I think this entire situation is perfect for you," Stiles said.

"No, actually," Derek said. "It's not. I don't particularly like you, either. But I have a duty to my family to go through with this, so I will. Plenty of people in arranged marriages end up happy with one another in time, even if that person wasn't their first choice."

"Derek, you wouldn't be my millionth choice!" Stiles spat, causing Cora to giggle in the back seat. Her laughter ceased when Stiles continued. "You are going to get to continue doing everything you ever wanted  _and_  enjoy in all the celebrity this brings while I'm stuck trying to dodge the spotlight. Marriage was never part of my plan. My kids need me more than anyone else would and now, I'm stuck having to marry the person I hate most because my dad thought it'd be a good idea to whore me out to the Hales."

"You don't even know me, Stiles. You don't know anything about me. How could you possibly hate me that much?" Derek demanded. "And you're not the only one who got whored out, Stiles. This marriage wasn't what I wanted either, but when my mother asked me to, I went with it because she's my Alpha. So instead of fighting me on this, why don't you accept that we're in a bad situation and just start trying to get to know me and what I actually stand for instead of jumping to conclusions that aren't true?"

"I don't care to get to know you. I was given  _no_  choice in any of this. I was simply told that I had to marry you. And now everyone just seems to think that I'm going to give up my orphanage to come play happy hubby with you as you go from one territory to another repeating the same old tired rhetoric about Human/Werewolf coexistence," Stiles said. "In case you haven't noticed, our species are coexisting. There are a few people who don't want us to, but they're the very vast minority and nobody takes them seriously anyway."

"Marrying me doesn't mean you have to give up your orphanage, Stiles," Derek said softly.

"But it's going to make keeping it open that much harder. Do you know how hard I work to get donations to keep that place running? Do you understand the difficulty in placing kids in homes where they're going to be loved and helped the way they need to be helped? Several of my kids lost their parents in the War. They watched as Werewolves tore apart their fathers and Hunters raped and killed their mothers. Do you know what kind of effect it's going to have no those kids to see me marrying you?" Stiles asked. "Humans weren't the only ones who committed atrocities during that War. You and I both know this. You and I also know that the Alphas stole the memories of what the Werewolves did from anyone who witnessed it."

"I'm not like those Werewolves," Derek said.

"Really? Then show me your eyes," Stiles said.

Derek was chilled by this request. "How did you know about my eyes?" he demanded.

"My father told me. I know what it means, too," Stiles replied.

"I killed to defend innocent people," Derek asserted.

Stiles laughed. "So nobody innocent met their death by your claws? Not a single person? You're the only Werewolf in history to have his eyes just randomly turn blue one day with no rhyme or reason why?"

"The universe doesn't define things by human notions of right or wrong. I only killed Hunters in battle, Stiles. And I never took a life if there was any other course of action available to me. Whether or not you want to believe that is up to you," Derek said, ending the conversation.

The rest of the five-hour drive was spent in silence, but Stiles preferred it that way. As they pulled up, Derek extended his claws and inserted them into an ornate Celtic-looking symbol outside the gate. He turned it forward then backwards. It glowed blue for a moment before the gate swung open, allowing them to drive up to the large mansion set deep within the property.

The mansion was huge. It was one of the largest homes Stiles had ever seen before. "Hale money goes back pretty far, I guess, huh?" Stiles thought out loud.

"Even before we implemented the new system of government, the Hale family was seen as royalty among Werewolves," Cora said. "The Alphas of our family have always had the power of a full-wolf transformation."

"Wasn't Laura able to fully transform?" Stiles asked.

"Occasionally, betas can learn how by having complete mastery over their inner wolf," Derek said as he began sniffing the air.

"Derek, what is it?" Cora asked.

"Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"I smell someone… Somebody is in here."

Stiles' phone began vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered it, studying Derek and Cora as they both tried to figure out the source of the strange scent. "Stiles, where are you guys?"

"Derek brought us to the Hale vacation home outside Salinas," Stiles replied.

"Get back in the car and leave… now," John said. There was a panic in his voice that unnerved Stiles and caused knots to twist in his gut. Not much panicked his father.

"I can't say over the phone, Stiles. Just please… listen to me for once," John begged.

"Where should we go?" Stiles asked.

"The Bunker," John answered. "Talia and I will meet you there."

Stiles hung up and looked at the two werewolves who were eyeing him with panic. "We've got to go now."

"Stiles…" Derek said, pointedly glancing down at the human's chest. Stiles looked down to see a red laser aimed right over his heart. There was someone pointing a gun at him.

"If any of you moves a single muscle, young Lord Stilinski gets 30 rounds in his chest," came a woman's voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So this is why I haven't updated anything in a while! This story is going to be a slow burn and a fun ride. Please leave me feedback! This chapter wasn't beta'd so any errors are my own and I sincerely apologize! I'm going to update Predators and Love is Like the Wind before I update this one, so that's why I made sure the first chapter was well over 6K words.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the rating on this story from "Mature" to "Explicit" for reasons that will become abundantly clear as you read this chapter.

The beautiful, slender woman descended the stairs at a leisurely pace. "I want both of you to shift back to human form," she said to Derek and Cora. Werewolf packs were incredibly hierarchical and Cora refused to comply until Derek did, as he ranked higher in the pack than her. The red dot remained focused on Stiles' chest.

"Who are you?" Derek demanded. As she stepped into the light, Derek could make out scars that ran from her jawline down her neck. They were unmistakably caused by a Werewolf's claws.

"I'm Braeden," the woman replied. "But you… it's such a shame they're marrying you off to him."

"It's a crime punishable by death to threaten a member of the Royal Families," Stiles said. "And right now, you're threatening the lives of three of them."

"I'd always heard you were smart, Stiles," she quipped. "But I'm smarter. I know that authorities are on their way and I only have a few minutes before they burst through that door. I also know that I'm going to be caught by them." She turned around, pulling a pistol from a holster on her side and fired shots, killing the two men who had been aiming at Stiles. The red dot disappeared. The lower chance of his imminent death meant that Stiles was able to notice the manner in which Derek flinched at the sound of Braeden's bullets. He thought he heard a slight whimper, but considered the idea that he could be mistaken, given how loud the gun's discharge was.

"What do you want?" Derek demanded. The scent of the men's blood hit him, turning his stomach. He hated that scent. But at the moment, his sister and fiancé were in danger. He knew he needed to keep it together. He decided to channel it all into anger, using the anchoring technique that had worked for him for so long.

"Right now, I don't want anything. I just wanted you to know that everything you fought for… everything your marriage is supposed to stand for…" she paced around Derek, her eyes moving between the three of them. "There are people who are trying to tear it apart."

"People like you?" Derek asked. He turned around, facing Braeden. Within seconds she was disarmed and Derek had her pinned. "I didn't fight so that people like you could bring us back to the slaughter and chaos of the War."

"It's not me, I swear. I was sent by someone who wants to stop it from happening just as much as you do," she replied, trying in vain to throw Derek off of her. Stiles huddled near Cora, trying to protect her; despite the fact that he knew she could protect herself.

"Who are you working for?" Derek demanded. "Keep in mind you can either tell me or we'll find out without your consent."

"No you won't, Derek," Braeden said. "Because it was an Alpha who sent me… and that's all I know. Whoever it was, they took their identity from my memories."

"You'll still be sent for questioning," Derek said. "If your story checks out, you'll be granted your freedom."

Police officers burst through the door. "Your Highnesses, are you alright?"

"We're fine," Stiles said. He pulled out his phone to call his dad and tell him what was happening. He didn't get an answer, so instead he left a voicemail and hoped he'd get a reply soon.

As the officers cuffed the woman, Derek approached Stiles and placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "I'm sorry I put you in harms way like that."

Stiles rolled his eyes and made a point to remove Derek's hand. "Just bring me to my orphanage."

"We shouldn't split up… not until we know we're all safe," Derek said. "We'll stay here tonight. When my mom sends the all-clear, I'll bring you back. Until then, you and I can use this time to get to know one another."

"I only have to marry you. That doesn't require me to get to know you. Can you stop trying?" Stiles demanded.

"You could try a little harder," Derek said.

"You're right. I could," Stiles admitted. "But I'm not going to."

Cora brushed past them with an arsenal of cleaning chemicals and set to scrubbing the blood stains on the carpet upstairs. She mentioned to Derek, knowing how much he hated blood, that he should take this time to relax, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

Stiles could tell Derek was angry, but was holding it back while the police were still there. "We're going to post several officers to patrol the perimeter until your mother has a chance to question her," one of the officers said. Derek thanked him before heading upstairs, asking Stiles to follow him.

"Here's the room we'll stay in," Derek said as he turned on the light.

"This mansion is huge. Why do we have to stay in the same room?" Stiles asked.

"We're engaged, Stiles," Derek said. "I don't know why I must keep reminding you of that fact. We need to keep up appearances."

"For whom? Cora? She knows how much I don't like you!"

"I have been nothing but chivalrous to you, Stiles. I've saved your life. I've treated you honorably and acted as a Knight should. You have no reason not to like me," Derek said, pulling Stiles into the room and shutting the door behind him, locking it in one quick motion.

"I've already told you why I don't like you," Stiles said. "I don't need to keep defending it. I dislike plenty of people for plenty of reasons, Derek. I'm not making any sort of special exception for you. Don't worry."

Derek heaved a sigh and went into the bathroom attached to the bedroom. Stiles heard the shower come on and decided to lie down on the bed and get some rest. The day had been exhausting.

After several minutes, he heard Derek's voice call from the bathroom. "Stiles… can you see if you can find a towel in the linen closet?"

Stiles rolled his eyes and got up and searched half-heartedly. "No luck," he replied before lying back down.

Derek was annoyed, but allowed himself to air-dry as best he could before stepping out of the shower and standing in the doorway. "Nobody has been in this house since before the War. I have no clothes to change into and no towels to be able to wrap around myself in here. Can you  _please_  check one of the other rooms or, at the very least, ask Cora to?"

"How about you cover yourself up?" Stiles demanded. He watched as water dripped down Derek's torso, venturing down to the matting of black hair that framed a sizeable collection of the Hale family jewels. He felt his own family jewels stirring. He chastised his body for its reaction to Derek's. "Nobody wants to see you naked."

One inhale and Derek knew that was a complete lie. Stiles was aroused. That made the fact that he was masking it with anger all the more entertaining and annoying. He decided to try and beat Stiles at his own game and crawled into the bed next to him. "We're going to be married. You're going to be seeing me naked quite a bit. Get used to it."

"I'm not going to get used to it!" Stiles argued. "Because I'll sleep in a separate room if I have to. I'm obligated to marry you. I'm not obligated to love you… and I'm certainly not obligated to have sex with you."

"Sex isn't an obligation, Stiles," Derek said. "It's a perk."

"Well! Don't you think highly of yourself!" Stiles exclaimed, disgust permeating his voice.

In one swift motion, Derek moved on top of Stiles and tossed his phone to the floor. "You seem to forget that I'm a Werewolf. You're turned on right now. Want to know how I know that? I can  _smell_  it on you. Right now, you reek of desire."

"You're deluding yourself," Stiles replied, trying to squirm out from under Derek.

"And you're lying. You can be sexually attracted to someone without liking them," Derek said. He ground his hips against Stiles' growing erection. "And it certainly seems to me that you're  _quite_  sexually attracted."

"Jesus Christ, Derek!" Stiles growled, again trying to climb out from under him. "You're like a dog with a bone…"

Derek grabbed Stiles' erection through his pants. "Yours is the only bone I see."

Stiles rolled his eyes. "Fine. If it will shut you up and give me some peace and quiet, then let's fuck. But I swear to God that if you kiss me, I'll deck you."

"Don't worry," Derek said. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Stiles quickly pulled his clothing off. He felt slightly self-conscious at Derek's raised eyebrow as the Werewolf studied his body. He would have felt insulted if he hadn't noticed Derek's cock hardening. "On your stomach," Stiles ordered. "I don't want to have to see your face."

"You're so romantic," Derek chided. "How were you single before our engagement?"

"Fuck off," Stiles whispered into his ear as Derek moved into position and Stiles moved into place on top of him. "Do you have a condom?"

"I'm a Werewolf, Stiles. I don't get STDs. And you're not going to get me pregnant. We don't need one."

"Any lube or is my spit going to have to suffice?"

"Slow down there," Derek teased. "I might just start to think you  _care_."

Stiles shrugged. "It's your asshole… asshole." He worked up some saliva in his mouth and spat it into his hand, before shoving a finger into Derek, who tensed. He continued trying to prep Derek for several more moments before slicking his cock with his spit and slowly pushing it into the Werewolf. Derek proved to be tight. He gripped Stiles like a vice. Stiles watched as Derek winced and gritted his teeth against the pain. Had it been anyone else, Stiles would have slowed down and worked Derek more to help this be a more mutually enjoyable experience. But it wasn't anyone else. It was Derek Hale. He didn't care that this was their first time having sex as a couple. He just cared that he had a lot of pent-up frustration sexual and otherwise, and Derek had offered himself as a willing recipient of it.

Stiles continued burying himself inside Derek. The two of them released gasps and sighs, though for entirely different reasons. Once Stiles was all the way inside, Derek hoped for a few moments to adjust, but Stiles powered on. Derek finally spoke up. "Stiles… please stop. It hurts too much."

Stiles stopped thrusting. "But I'm so close…" Stiles beat his fist against the mattress. "Leave it to you to take the fun out of sex."

"That wasn't fun for me," Derek said. "Can you please pull out?"

Stiles grumbled and pulled himself out of Derek and angrily fell onto his back on the bed. "I don't know how I'm supposed to live the rest of my life married to you. Especially if sex isn't going to even be satisfying."

Derek didn't make any attempt to hide his disgust. "You call what just happened 'sex'? How unfortunate for you…"

"Go fuck yourself," Stiles spat, moving to sit on the side of the bed.

"I just might have to…" Derek said flatly. He stood up, noticing the scent of fury running off Stiles. He was content to just let Stiles go take care of it himself, but knew that if he didn't put effort into their relationship, nobody would. "If you want to finish, come into the bathroom in two minutes." He drew a hot bath and added some salts and oils. When it was the perfect temperature, he called Stiles to come in. To Derek's relief, he did, though his face showed he was not thrilled about doing it. Derek climbed into the tub and invited Stiles to join him.

"This seems romantic," Stiles said warily, scrunching up his nose at the idea.

"It's going to be sexy," Derek promised. "But that doesn't mean it has to be romantic. I'm not going to waste any effort on you when you don't seem to want to put any into our relationship."

"I thought we were going to be having sex… not a guilt trip," Stiles said.

Derek shoved Stiles against the wall of the shower as he pushed his cock into the human's ass, all while simultaneously drawing off the pain of it. "I don't see why it can't be both," he said, getting himself entirely into his fiancé in one go. Stiles was rendered breathless by it all.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Stiles gasped.

Derek wasted no time in working to a pace that was mutually satisfying. At first, Stiles let out streams of obscenities, but they soon devolved into unintelligible grunts and moans. Stiles' body quaked as his first orgasm hit him, his semen sprayed the tile, but Derek didn't stop. He was barely phased by it. His stamina allowed him to go much, much longer. When Derek no longer had to siphon off pain, he was able to focus on Stiles. His heightened senses were able to read every sound, smell, and movement that came from his fiancé. He played Stiles' body like an instrument. For an hour, the hot water splashed onto them as Derek brought Stiles to orgasm eight times.

It was as Stiles' body was contracting around him for the last time that Derek sped up even further before shooting inside his fiancé. He let out a powerful roar, unable to prevent his fangs and claws from protruding as the intensity of it swept throughout his body. As he returned to his senses, he shifted back and pulled out of Stiles, becoming aware of just how much he had been supporting the weight of the human. He let Stiles fall as a crumpled mess beneath the steady stream of the water. He bent down, his mouth less than a centimeter from Stiles' ear and whispered, "In case you were wondering,  _that_  is how you fuck someone." He stood up and walked out of the bathroom, not caring that he was dripping water all over the carpets. He was glad to have beaten Stiles at his own game.

* * *

 Derek spent several hours in silence downstairs. He washed his and Stiles' clothes and even found some towels, though he didn't bring any to Stiles, who was sleeping in his attempt to recover from his orgasmic stupor. His mother and John were on their way and would be arriving shortly, as would much of the staff from their main mansion in Sacramento. There would be the dedicated corps of workers to look after Laura, and security around her had been doubled, but they were all to remain in a safe house that nobody else knew about.

Derek was busy penning the press release that the members of the media who were setting up camp outside the estate's grounds were clamoring to receive. Cora gave her input when he asked for it, but the final draft would need to be approved by Talia and John before it could be released, and the royal families would need to release it together.

When the clothes were dry, Derek folded them neatly and brought them upstairs, setting them carefully on the bed. He watched Stiles sleep for several minutes, struck by how beautiful his fiancé was and how much he inwardly shared his sentiment toward the marriage. He didn't want to get married to Stanisław Stilinski. He didn't want the media to be focusing its attention on their relationship, because it meant that they were being pulled away from the important issues of maintaining the peace and continuing the rebuilding of the territory. But it was his duty, and duty  _always_  came before personal desires. It was the first lesson he learned as a soldier in the War.

He wished Stiles could see their situation the way he did. But humans were so very short-sighted. It was one of their many faults. But the most tragic thing about this entire situation was that if Stiles wasn't such an asshole, Derek knew they'd enjoy a very happy engagement and an even happier marriage. The political power and the money wielded by both families were immense. All Stiles had to do was stop resisting the inevitable, and the world would open up to him in ways it never would have before.

Resentment began to swell inside Derek, poisoning the moment. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to capture in his memory the few seconds he was able to like Stiles because Derek knew that when Stiles woke up, this peaceful beauty he held about him would fade into the angry, spiteful asshole that made Derek suddenly for a moment so short, he could have easily denied it happened, lament the fact that hunters weren't as much of a threat to his lifespan as they once were.

* * *

 Several members of the Werewolf guard set up the podium outside the estate. Talia and John were agreed that since the attack happened at the park that was dedicated in honor of Derek, that Derek and Stiles should be the ones to make the announcement. Stiles outright refused to give any part of the speech.

John decided that if Stiles wouldn't speak, then he'd have to be positioned right at Derek's side. "And Stiles, if you don't look like you love Derek more than life itself, I'll personally kill you," John warned.

"I'll play my part," Stiles promised, though begrudgingly so.

Stiles stood close by Derek as they approached the microphone. Everyone bowed in their presence and when Derek gave them permission to stand up, he began his speech. "Earlier today, a cowardly individual decided to interrupt the park that was to be dedicated to me. That is of little importance to me. What is most bothersome is the words he shouted. He invoked the name of Gerard Argent and said that his dream lives on. I want to ask: What dream is that? Racism? Destruction? The devastation of our country and our people? Is our collective memory so short that we would forget the atrocities committed during that time? Because I, for one, won't. But I also will not hide away while the peace that we have fought for so long to achieve and maintain is threatened. So I'm issuing a blanket statement on behalf of both of the Royal Families of the Territory of California. This sort of behavior will not be tolerated. When I fought in the War, I learned about honor, duty, and sacrifice. There is no honor in tearing open this wound. As a society, it is our duty to protect our future. And I will damned if I allow the sacrifice made by everyone who died in that War to become for nothing. If he was working with others, we will find them. It is my duty to keep the peace and I will. My family and my people will not be held hostage by hatred and bigotry."

With that, Derek turned on his heels and walked back onto the compound. Reporters shouted questions, but the Royal Families filed back into the mansion and the guards moved back into place, adding a layer of protection between them.

The speech was already being aired on every station by the time they got back into the mansion. Stiles was both annoyed and impressed by how Derek had instantly become the posterboy for the renewed unity of the territory.

They ate in silence. Derek and Stiles were forced to sit by one another. As the staff members took away the last of the plates, Stiles finally spoke up. "So now that we've been seen as a happy couple, can I go back to my kids? They're scared and they need me."

"They're fine," John said. "You are to finish the three days here with Derek. He just made a speech about togetherness. How does that make him look when immediately after that, you go off?"

"My orphanage was an important part of my life before Derek was even a blip on the radar," Stiles countered. "I'm the closest thing those kids have to a parent and right now they are terrified. So while I'm being paraded as a prop of hope to the people, I represent  _actual_  hope to these kids."

"Nobody is diminishing the importance of your orphanage, Stiles," Talia said. "But right now, the threat of a Hunter resurgence under the Argent banner is very real. This is something that we cannot have. We've known of the risk for some time, which is why we arranged the marriage when we did. If we can distract the people from these influences, perhaps we can avoid another war."

"So you sacrificed mine and Derek's happiness on the off chance that you can avoid more fighting?" Stiles asked, horrified by the revelation.

Derek was most shocked by the fact that Stiles seemed to care that Derek was unhappy.

"Derek understands the importance of duty to your family," John interjected. "And you will show Alpha Hale the respect she deserves, Stiles."

"It's alright, John," Talia said. "He deserves to be unhappy about the situation. And in private, he can express his concerns, so long as he continues the outward performance."

"So you both  _do_  understand the shitty situation you've dumped on both of us. You just don't care," Stiles said. "It's good to know that we're just pawns on your chessboards. It's good to know that we are so easily sacrificed."

"If you play a pawn far enough it becomes a Queen," Talia said. "Derek is a knight, but he's also a Prince. By marrying him you become a Prince, too. So instead of thinking about this in terms of what you're losing, try considering it in terms of what you'll gain."

"Respectfully, Your Majesty," Stiles said. "I'm 23. Marriage shouldn't even be a consideration for several more years."

"There's a price that comes with royalty," Talia said matter-of-factly.

"I'm only considered royal because our side just happened to win the fight. Had it gone the other way around, we all would have been executed," Stiles said. "The only thing that makes me different from the people who served us this meal is the fact that people seem to think I'm different."

"Stiles, that's enough," John said. The finality in his tone told Stiles he'd gone too far. Angrily, Stiles got up from the table and went back up to the bedroom. Derek followed shortly behind.

"I don't need you gloating right now," Stiles said.

"Good. I didn't intend to," Derek replied. "You raised some great points downstairs. You need to realize that our parents won't be dissuaded by our opposition to the marriage. But right now, I'm exhausted and want to go to bed. Let's just get a restful night's sleep and then we can deal with the repercussions of our parents' meddling tomorrow."

"Fine. I'll go to a different room," Stiles said. He didn't want to be around Derek. Sex had complicated things and made them awkward, more awkward than his distaste for the Werewolf.

"Your father said you and I have to share a room," Derek replied.

"Then I'll sleep on the floor," Stiles offered.

"Don't be stupid. We'll share the bed," Derek said. "Besides. It'll be easier for me to keep you safe if you're closer to me."

"Clothes on," Stiles said, resigning to the fact that he wasn't going to win that one.

"Those are the only clothes we have right now. They'll get all wrinkled. Strip down to your underwear at least," Derek held. "I've already seen you naked." Stiles looked weary at the idea, prompting Derek to add, "I promise I won't fuck you in your sleep."

Stiles pulled his clothes off, leaving his boxers on. He pulled the small metal chain that hung from the ceiling fan, bringing it to full blast. Derek made a face. "What?" Stiles demanded.

"The noise… I won't be able to sleep."

"And I won't be able to sleep with it being so hot in here," Stiles replied. "The fan stays on."

"You could just sleep on top of the covers!" Derek proposed.

"You  _could_  just stop being such a bitch about the fan and let me have it on!" Stiles yelled back. Derek's nostrils flared, but he gave in.

The two of them crawled into the bed, trying to leave ample space between their bodies. Stiles pulled the blankets tightly over himself, leaving Derek half uncovered. Derek yanked the blanket back. "You don't get to whine about the fan and then steal all of the blankets."

"You're a Werewolf. You don't get cold!" Stiles said. "Honestly… you're just being difficult."

"And you're being a selfish prick!"

"Fuck you Derek!"

"You tried. It was the worst sex I ever had!" Derek yelled back.

The door swung open. Talia stood there, her eyes glowing red. Immediately Derek stood a little straighter. "Stop arguing!" she ordered. "You're going to wake up the entire mansion. Act like adults. And Derek… I'm very disappointed in you right now."

Those words felt like a dagger to Derek's chest. Immediately his features sunk. "I'm sorry, mom."

"You should be," she said sternly before walking out, shutting the door behind her.

Derek turned away from Stiles who felt bad. "Derek… I'm sorry," Stiles said softly.

"She's right," Derek said. "I shouldn't have let you goad me into a fight." He turned over and put his back to Stiles.

Stiles turned the light off and tried to go to sleep. He was used to having a body pillow to move up against… or a wall. But he had nothing but the empty space between him and Derek. He sighed. "I have a favor to ask," Stiles said meekly.

"What?"

"I need you to spoon with me," Stiles said. "I can't sleep unless I'm up against something."

Derek saw this as progress. "Do you want to be the big spoon or the little one?"

"Little," Stiles said. "But it doesn't mean anything. You know that, right?"

"Jesus Christ, Stiles…" Derek growled as he moved into position.

Stiles felt Derek's erection against his body. "Derek… I thought I said no sex."

Keeping his voice low, Derek stifled a snarl of annoyance. "I can't help it. If you don't like it, you can take care of it, ignore it, or just be the big spoon."

Stiles did his best to ignore it, but he could feel it throbbing against the small of his back. It was distracting. "Fine… I'll just take care of it." He moved down, fishing it out of Derek's boxers. This was the third time that day they were going to have sexual contact. Stiles quickly brought it to his mouth, figuring a blowjob would get rid of it faster than a handjob would. He wasn't sure he could handle being fucked for an hour again. "Please try not to last as long as you did last time."

"I won't. I was forcing myself to take longer just because I knew it would annoy you," Derek replied. As he felt the warm, wet mouth around his cock, he moaned. Stiles used a trick an ex-girlfriend had often used on him and brought Derek as far into the back of his throat as possible, while slowly sticking a finger into Derek's ass and finding his prostate. He was coming up off of Derek's cock, needing to breathe. The sensation of Stiles' tongue in combination with the stroking motion Stiles was using on his prostate was too much. He erupted in ropes of gooey, hot come that filled Stiles' mouth.

Stiles hated the texture of semen, but had nowhere to spit it out. He was forced to swallow it. He let Derek's cock fall from his mouth and withdrew his finger, glaring angrily at him in the darkness. "You could have warned me, you asshole…"

"I'm sorry," Derek said. "It just sort of happened. Do you want me to…" His voice trailed off as Stiles replied with a sharp "no."

"That was enough of a turnoff to ensure I won't get horny for the next few days," Stiles assured him, tucking Derek's dick back in his boxers and resuming the position they'd previously been in. His body was tired, but his mind was too busy replaying the events of the day to sleep soundly. He could tell by the way Derek was breathing that he was still too busy riding the waves of the orgasm he'd just received to sleep quite so quickly. "I have a question for you," Stiles said. "Earlier… you flinched when that woman shot her companions. But you were a soldier… why were you so bothered by it?"

"A war doesn't end just because the soldier is sent home," Derek replied. "Even if one side is declared victorious. I'm a soldier and a warrior, but I hate guns. I hate the scent of blood. And I despise seeing a life taken, even if that life was threatening me… or my fiancé."

Stiles made a small noise of acknowledgement to what Derek said. He decided to stop asking questions. It only served to humanize the enemy. Derek, however, decided that it was his turn to ask something. "You're sexually attracted to me… so why do you insist on making our relationship so difficult?"

"Because sex with you is something I can choose. I have the power to say no if I don't want it. You're hot. You know that. And if things had been different, I may have dated you… and seen where it went. But I'm being forced to marry you. We don't have a relationship. You're not my friend. You're not someone I care about. I know you feel the same way. The sex lets me draw a line in my mind," Stiles said. "It's a simple convenience of our relationship. We can provide each other pleasure. Hate and love are the opposite sides of the same coin. And in my experience, both can make sex simply phenomenal. Our sexual chemistry can provide a suitable mask for our lack of emotional intimacy."

"So you're saying you want us to fuck to pretend that we like each other more than we actually do?" Derek clarified.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Stiles said.

Derek chuckled. "By the Moon, I think you might have just found a way for us to both survive this marriage with our sanity in-tact."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and where the story is going. Please give me feedback. It helps me write! Also, if you like this story, be sure to recommend it!


	3. Chapter 3

Derek was already awake when Stiles woke up the next morning. Stiles showered, brushed his teeth, then headed downstairs where John, Talia, Cora, and Derek were eating breakfast. Cora smiled brightly at him. "Good morning!"

Stiles nodded. "Please tell me there's coffee…"

A staff member came by and filled Stiles' mug with the strong, black liquid. He didn't add anything to it, he simply took a sip. He loved the first sip of his morning coffee. He knew it hadn't kicked in yet, but the knowledge that it soon would was enough to improve his mood. "We're travelling back to San Diego today to celebrate the park. The city wants to make the celebration bigger than it was intended to be before as a way to move past what happened yesterday," John announced.

Stiles knew that it meant he'd need to play lovey-dovey to the cameras again, but it was a small price to pay for being so close to going back home.

"Derek has a few events he needs to attend," Talia said, speaking directly to Stiles. "So we were thinking that you two could leave from the event tonight and go back to the Orphanage. If Derek could stay with you one night at the Orphanage, he would leave first thing the next morning to meet with the Generals of the Armed Forces across the Territories."

"Yeah," Stiles replied half-heartedly. "He can stay with me. I need to go shopping before I head back home, though. I promised my kids I'd bring them something… and after everything that's happened, I need to make sure that I make good on that promise."

The conversation that continued from there was awkward and shallow. It caused a pit to form in Stiles' stomach. He hated it, so he quickly scarfed down his meal before he headed back upstairs. Derek appeared shortly behind him. "Thank you for giving me permission to stay… I know how much you want to keep the orphanage separate from our relationship."

"The Alpha made a request," Stiles replied. "It's not like I could say 'no.' And honestly, whatever gets me to my kids the fastest is the path I'll take."

"That's as close to a 'you're welcome' as I'm going to get, isn't it?"

"Yup…"

* * *

 The ride there had been filled mostly with the radio. Stiles noticed Cora's smirk in the back seat as her eyes moved between the two of them. "You two did it…"

"Cora!" Derek scolded.

"Oh my god you  _did_!" she cackled. "It was about time you two fucked and got it out of your systems!"

"What Stiles and I do or don't do behind closed doors is none of your business, Cora," Derek said tersely.

Stiles shrunk in his seat. He knew it was physically impossible to die of embarrassment, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

Derek pulled the car up next to Stiles'. The windows had been smashed in and in bright red spray paint, the words "Hound Whore" were scrawled across the doors. They knew it had been likely done by the same people who interrupted the ceremony the day before, but it didn't make Stiles any less angry. Derek took out his cell phone and began snapping photos while Stiles got on the phone with his insurance agent. His policy would cover the cost to get it fixed and he could use a rental until then. "I'm sorry, Stiles," Derek said.

"I'd say it wasn't your fault, but we both know that isn't exactly true," Stiles sighed. They waited a while for an officer to show up and Stiles filed a police report. The longer the process took, the more agitated Stiles became. It was hot and he was still in yesterday's clothes and sweaty. He was in no way prepared for a second red carpet, which meant that he needed to have someone bring them clothes and help spruce them up for their second day in front of the cameras.

After the officer left, Stiles and Derek met the stylist in a nearby hotel, where they were provided with fresh clothes for them to change into, and hair and makeup professionals fixed them up before they were once again put out in front of the world's press. John had impressed upon him the fact that he needed to take a more active role in interviews, so Stiles made a conscious effort.

The line of questioning was all the same: "Can you talk about what happened yesterday?" and "How are the Royal Families dealing with the threats?" there were even a few people who wanted to know if the Argents were back. Stiles and Derek took turns answering the questions, speaking strongly as they condemned the actions that took place. At one point, different sets of reporters required Stiles and Derek to separate. Derek gave Stiles a showy kiss on the cheek. Stiles adjusted his gray bow tie and smoothed out the black button-up shirt. He approached the reporter. The moment he recognized her, that pit in his stomach from earlier came immediately back. It was the same reporter who had handed Derek's ass to him on national television. "Hello Lord Stilinski, would you mind answering a few questions for me?"

"Not at all," Stiles replied. His already severe body language became even more overwrought in the reporter's presence.

"So we all know how important your orphanage is to you," Laura began. Immediately Stiles tensed. He had a general policy of 'Say whatever you want about me, but leave my kids out of it' and didn't trust Lauren Williams to respect that policy. It was well known that she was racist against Werewolves, and Stiles expected that to play against him, since he was very publicly engaged to one of the highest-ranked Werewolves in the territory. "Yesterday was filled with such dramatic and dangerous developments. Isn't it a higher priority to be with the children placed in your care than to be here in light of these recent developments? I mean who is taking care of them if you aren't?"

Stiles' breath caught in his throat and his hand balled into a fist. He couldn't believe that she went  _there_  on her very first question.  _At least build up to that level of assholery,_  Stiles thought.  _Don't just start out with it._  "My kids are my absolute highest priority, which is why I employ a very well-trained staff to ensure that all of their needs are being taken care of around the clock. My kids and my staff respect the fact that given my position as the son of Lord General John Stilinski and the fiancé of Prince Derek Hale, I have certain duties that will, from time-to-time, bring me away from the orphanage. And, Lauren, my safety has been at risk from the moment of my father's coronation. Never once has it impacted my ability to do my job. And I take offense to any accusation that it would."

"I certainly didn't mean to offend, My Lord," Lauren said. The cameras, of course, didn't see the sinister smirk on her face.

Stiles did, which was why he chose this moment to try and take control of the conversation. "The proper,  _respectful_  honorific would be 'Your Grace'," he snapped.

Lauren and the cameramen seemed taken aback by his remark. Never before had he or his father  _ever_  insisted on another person following that proper etiquette, since there wasn't a tradition for it until the post-war restructuring. "My apologies, Your Grace," she said, stammering in an attempt to find her footing. It had just become a battle of the wills she hadn't prepared to fight. "Now how did this relationship between you and Prince Derek happen? To anyone's knowledge, you two have never been seen together since your father was crowned."

"It's the 21st Century, Lauren. We have technology like Skype and texting that make a long-distance courtship much easier than it used to be," Stiles said, doing nothing to hide the fact that his patience for her line of questioning was swiftly evaporating.

"But that's the answer we hear pretty often. I'm just wondering if there isn't anything else going on behind the scenes. A union between your families is a pretty unprecedented consolidation of royal power," Lauren pointed out. "It seems to me that this is more strategic than anything else."

Stiles felt his temper soaring to heights it hadn't reached since his engagement began. He knew he had played his part convincingly enough that he'd given her no possible bait for this questioning. He also knew that how he answered this question could very easily get him back in Talia's good graces, which could only be a good thing for him. "Just because Prince Derek and I are very public figures doesn't mean that our relationship has to be. And for your information, the nature of my relationship with my fiancé is personal and I don't feel I need to defend it to muckraking leeches from the lowest cesspools of the media, like yourself. The vast majority of the People are happy for us and we'll choose to celebrate with them. But Lauren, my family and I won't give you another second of our time until you reacquaint yourself with the concepts of journalistic ethics and common decency."

He turned around and walked away, listening to Lauren ask the cameraman, "You got that, right? Please tell me you got that."

Derek stepped away from his interview and approached Stiles, whose face was reddening with rage. The fact that she questioned his ability to care for his kids tore at him and the more he circulated those words in his head, the angrier he got until his eyes were welling up from his inability to outwardly express it. Derek wrapped his arms around him. "Stiles what happened?"

"Fucking Lauren Williams…" Stiles replied. "She said that by being here, I was neglecting my kids… And then she asked me if our relationship was a farce! I completely blew my stack."

"What did you say?" Derek asked coolly.

"I defended our relationship like I'm supposed to… but she's going to run my face across her network for the next week," Stiles said, pulling away from him. "We need to be prepared for any punches she's going to pull."

All network cameras were focused on them. What was really a quick sharing of information was being interpreted by everyone as a tender moment between the couple, much to Lauren's chagrin. Derek knew this, so he leaned down. "I'm going to kiss you. It's the quickest way to make Lauren eat her words, since right now, all eyes are on us."

Stiles looked into Derek's eyes, giving permission for him to do it. Derek turned up the passion for the sake of the cameras. His arms pulled Stiles back in and he placed a kiss so tender and so deep on Stiles that if he actually felt any sense of affection for the Werewolf, his heart would have skipped a beat. But it was a performance. Beautifully staged and expertly executed. Stiles kissed back with equal vigor. Typically, he had no interest in furthering the notion that they were in love. But Lauren questioned his love for his kids. He was prepared to do whatever it took to destroy her reputation and career as a journalist. She had just made herself a very powerful enemy.

Reporters and spectators alike applauded at what they thought was a genuine loving moment.

The sun sunk lower in the sky, painting it in soft reds and purple tints, marking the need to make their way to the dais so Derek announced that they would be giving no more interviews. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Derek asked smelling salt from tears rolling down Stiles' cheeks. He quickly pulled them into an alcove, away from cameras and spectators.

More tears fell down his face. "She questioned my ability to look after my kids, Derek… and she's right! I've been saying for the past 24 hours that I need to get home to be with them… and then she just said it on national TV."

"Don't let her get into your head, Stiles. We just need to get through this ceremony and then I'll take you home and you can see them," Derek said. And in a move that would have angered Stiles any other time, Derek wiped the tears from his face and hugged him. They stayed there until Stiles could compose himself, Derek uttering reassurances that Stiles wasn't a bad caretaker and that Lauren would get what was coming to her. When they finally walked up to the dais, the remaining members of the Royal Families were waiting for them to get started. Talia addressed the people gathered, but Stiles paid no attention. Instead, he leaned over to Derek. "Why did you console me back there? Even after there weren't any cameras…" he whispered.

Derek cocked his head. "Because you were in pain and it was the right thing to do, Stiles. We agree on the fact that we don't personally want to marry one another. But that doesn't mean I can't be there for you when I see you need someone, just because a camera isn't there to catch it. We can disagree and fight and bicker all we want, but at the end of the day we're still people and deserve to be treated as such… especially when we're feeling low."

Stiles smirked. "It's a shame I don't like you, Derek… you'd make a great boyfriend for someone who appreciated you."

Despite the dig, Derek returned the smirk. He knew this was Stiles' way of indicating that, at least for now, he had moved past the Lauren Williams debacle. "And if you weren't such a stubborn, inconsiderate asshole then… well, I guess you would be someone else entirely," he replied with a wink. They were less concerned about people hearing what they said thanks to Talia's voice booming from the speakers in front of them. Any Werewolves who happened to hear it would be getting snippets completely out of context and wouldn't know whether or not this was their version of flirtatious banter. The smiles on their faces did much to help further confuse any prying ears and eyes.

They weren't required to speak at this event, which made Stiles happy. And soon, they heard Talia announce that fireworks would soon be showing over the San Diego Bay and asked that they'd all move to that part of the city. The Royal Families went first, followed by everyone else.

Since the park wasn't too far from the bay, it didn't require more than a short walk. Once everyone was assembled, Stiles saw the barge move into place. Soon, the show began. Stiles always loved fireworks. He considered it a greatly unappreciated art form. They enthralled him and always had. So it took him until halfway through the display to realize that his fiancé was no longer standing by his side. He looked around. "Where's Derek?" he asked Cora.

"I think he said something about going to the car," she replied.

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Cora shrugged. "Maybe he's tired."

"I'm going to go check on him," Stiles said and moved around the crowd. Posted members of the Guard eyed him carefully. Stiles knew who they were, though most people believed them to be normal spectators. When he got to the parking lot, it took him a moment to find their car, but his attention was momentarily diverted by the reflection of the fireworks in the windshields and hoods of the cars around him. He took one last look at the sky as his fingers lightly hovered over the door handle. A particularly beautiful set exploded before he pulled the door open and hopped in the car. It was then that he noticed that Derek had his hands firmly pressed over his ears, and his eyes squeezed tightly shut as tears streamed down his face. His eyes were glowing bright blue and he seemed to be caught somewhere between shifts.

"Derek? What's wrong?"

The Werewolf shook his head before trying to hide his face away from Stiles. "Please go away," he sobbed. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Did I say something?" Stiles asked, trying to think through what had happened that night and how much easier their interactions had been that day in comparison to the brick wall he was receiving now.

"No," Derek managed.

"Tell me what's wrong, then," Stiles insisted. "Derek you're scaring me…"

"The bombs…" Derek cried softly. "Tell them to call off the bombs… Please just make it stop… No more bombs…"

"What bombs?" Stiles asked before he realized. "The fireworks… they remind you of the War… Derek, listen to my voice… focus on me. I'm going to start the car and we're going to drive away from here… but I need you to breathe."

Derek nodded. "Are we leaving the war zone?" he looked over at Stiles, his eyes filled with tears, pain, and terror.

"Yeah," Stiles replied, trying to figure out what he would do for one of his kids. Normally, he'd hug them tightly, since that released a burst of oxytocin. Derek was between shifts, and Stiles didn't know if he'd startle from it so he brought the engine to life and tried to put as much distance between them and the fireworks as possible. It wasn't until they were several miles down Interstate 5, that Derek was able to finally shift back to human. He rested his head against the seat. "Are you alright?" Stiles asked. Derek nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Derek nodded. "It was like I was back on the front lines again… The Argents would surround homes of Werewolves and Werewolf supporters in mountain ash and place bombs inside them. I couldn't help them. I heard their screams. I smelt them burning. I could taste their death in the air. Every single one of them. I had to sit there and feel them die with each one of my senses and I couldn't do one fucking thing to help them."

"Why would your mother plan a fireworks display if she knew it bothered you?" Stiles asked, entirely shocked by Talia's callousness.

"Nobody knows," Derek admitted. "You're the first person I've ever told. My family all saw me as the hero who fought on the front lines. Your father was so proud of me. How could I tell them that I'm not the brave warrior they think I am? How could I tell them that I don't deserve my honor as Knight? I couldn't even handle a stupid fireworks display without running to the car like a scared puppy."

"We all have our demons, Derek. And I think it's far more heroic to face them. You're the Prince of California. One day, you'll be the Alpha. Do you know what you could do for other soldiers who are suffering just like you are?" Stiles said. "At least once a week, one of my kids wakes up with nightmares screaming for parents that will never be there to comfort them. You can get help, Derek."

"My pain is just that," Derek said. "Mine." He sniffled as he wiped the tears away from his face. "I'm sorry you saw me like this."

Stiles was shocked at just how badly he wanted to evade the topic of help. "You've seen me worse," Stiles said. "Remember the first time we met?"

"At the Coronation Ball?" Derek asked.

"Yeah," Stiles laughed. "My dad didn't know that I swapped the labels on a couple of bottles of sparkling grape juice and wine."

Derek chuckled as he remembered. "You weren't just drunk. You were fucking toasted."

"You came up to me and said 'Your father is going to kill you,' and you helped me up to my room," Stiles said. "I don't think I would have made it up the stairs in the mansion if you hadn't carried me."

"It didn't stop you from drinking more, though," Derek added.

"I was only 13. It was the first time I ever had alcohol and I've never been a quitter," Stiles laughed.

"Except that you spilled about a third of the bottle on my pants. You're lucky that I was a bit smaller then and could fit in your clothes," Derek added. "And you were just as obnoxious then as you are now."

"What do you mean?" Stiles asked. "I passed out after that. I didn't see you again until our parents told us about the arrangement."

Derek looked shocked. "Oh my God," he whispered. "You don't remember?"

"Yeah I do," Stiles said. "I just told you what happened."

"No you didn't," Derek said. "After you spilled your drink on me, you tried to help me clean it up, but your hand accidentally touched my dick and then you kissed me."

Stiles shook his head. "You're a liar. There's no fucking way."

"You're right," Derek said. "It wasn't so much a kiss as you ran your tongue across my lips and my cheek and told me how hot you thought I was. You then asked me to spend the night with you. You mumbled something about pillows and pouted. I thought you would cry if I said no, so I cuddled with you. And after you fell asleep, I left."

"You're delusional," Stiles said, taking the exit to get to his orphanage. There was a Toys-R-Us nearby that he could stop at to load up on presents for his kids. "There's no way that happened. You have to be pulling my leg."

"I swear I'm not, Stiles," Derek said. "Why do you think that, despite the fact that you and I don't like each other and don't actually want to get married, I've fought so hard to at least  _try_."

"Because your Alpha ordered you to," Stiles replied. "It's not rocket science."

Derek shook his head. "Whether my mom ordered me to or not, I would have done it. Because I know that somewhere inside you is still that 13 year-old boy who threw caution to the wind. You liked me at one time… and I kind of liked you, too. I hoped that maybe we could learn to like each other again."

"I was drunk, Derek," Stiles said. "I was a young, hormonal teenager. You just happened to be something pretty that caught my eye. And besides, after that, I fell in love… I fell hard and I fell fast for a girl that I wanted to marry… a girl I had to dump when  _our_  relationship was arranged."

"What was her name?" Derek asked.

"Lydia," Stiles said. "She was the love of my life. I had been planning on proposing to her. But then our parents arranged our marriage. So instead of giving her a ring, I broke her heart."

"I'm sorry," Derek said softly. "It's no wonder you hate me so much. I represent everything you gave up."

Stiles pulled into the parking lot. The store was technically closed, but they were willing to open their doors for him. He got out of the car and Derek followed. This conversation had turned painful and he didn't wish to continue it any further. Derek followed Stiles up and down the aisles as he picked out toys and books for each of his kids, as he knew exactly what each child would want.

When they got to the checkout counter, Derek quickly pulled out his credit card. "They're my kids, Derek," Stiles said. "It's my responsibility to provide for them, not yours. And not anyone else's."

"It's the least I can do after the help you gave me," Derek replied, swiping the card before Stiles could swipe his. Though Derek was only trying to be helpful, Stiles didn't see it that way. He was royally pissed off and remained silent for the rest of the drive to the orphanage.

It was late when he got in, but Scott and Kira were sitting in the den watching TV with Ana. "You should be in bed, little one," Stiles said.

Ana's head whipped around and her eyes lit up. "STILES!" she exclaimed running over to him, jumping in his arms. "I thought you weren't going to come back!"

"Are you kidding?" Stiles asked, spinning her around in a hug. "I'd never not come back for you."

Ana hugged Stiles' neck for several minutes. "I'm glad you're home. Will you make me a sandwich?"

"You little sneak!" Kira teased. "You just had one!"

"But Stiles didn't make it for me so it doesn't count!" Ana countered.

"If Ms. Kira made you a sandwich, then you don't get another one. I'll make you one tomorrow. Now go to bed. When you wake up, there will be a present for you," Stiles said.

Ana looked over at Derek who was standing in the doorway. "Oh! Hi!" she said waving her hand enthusiastically.

"Hi," Derek replied smiling back at her as he returned the wave.

Ana pushed away from Stiles a bit and pointed. "Stiles, is he… the douche?"

"Yeah," Stiles replied laughing. "He's the douche. Now go to bed."

"I love you, Stiles," Ana said before wriggling out of Stiles' arms and running upstairs to the dormitories.

"Thank you for watching them," Stiles said to Scott and Kira.

"It's an honor to meet you, Prince Derek," Kira said.

"The honor is all mine… and just call me Derek," he replied, turning to Scott, holding out his hand to shake it. "It's an honor to finally meet the True Alpha of this generation."

Scott returned Derek's handshake before letting his arm snake around Kira's waist. "We're going to go head out and give you two some privacy."

"You can stay tonight if you'd like," Stiles said.

"No, we don't want to intrude. Goodnight," Kira said, hugging Stiles before Scott did the same. Stiles turned and headed upstairs, leaving Derek to awkwardly follow him as Scott and Kira shut the door behind them.

When they were finally in Stiles' room, Derek asked, "Okay what's wrong now? You and I actually had a pretty good day, all things considered."

"Yeah, we did. Then you went and fucked it up!" Stiles replied. "It's like you can't help yourself. You have a drive that compels you to fuck things up in my life."

"What did I do?" Derek asked.

"These are  _my_  kids! They are  _my_ responsibility. Not yours. I told you to let me pay for the gifts and you didn't!"

"Let me get this straight… you're mad because I swiped my credit card first?" Derek asked. "Mark it down as an in-kind donation if it's really that big of a deal."

"No!" Stiles snapped. "It's not just that! I'm mad because everything I love… everything that's important to me… you seem hell-bent on taking away from me!"

"I'm not trying to take anything away from you, Stiles," Derek said softly. "Least of all these kids."

"But I see how this ends up going, Derek. At first, I'm allowed to stay here, but when questions start getting raised, you and I are forced to move in together. Then I'm permitted to spend less and less time with my kids until I'm not allowed to spend time with them at all. But you get to do whatever you want and go wherever you want because you're the Prince and your career and ambitions are more important than the 34 kids in my care… the only people I really and truly love."

"It's not true, Stiles," Derek insisted. "I won't let that happen."

Stiles stripped down to his underwear and crawled into the bed. "Why would it matter to you anyway? It's not like your life will be affected in the slightest."

Derek did the same, but he moved incredibly close to Stiles, staring into his eyes, one hand on the human's chest. "Because I saw the way your eyes lit up when you held that little girl downstairs. And I know that I'll never make your eyes shine that brightly no matter how hard I try. You'll never love me as much you love the kids."

"You're right," Stiles said. "I'll never love you."

Derek listened for a change in Stiles' heart rate that would tell him that Stiles was lying. He didn't hear it. Just like that, the progress they had made was gone. One step forward and two steps back. "Thank you for helping me tonight," he said before settling in to sleep.

"You helped me earlier. We're even," Stiles replied dismissively. He grabbed his body pillow and clung tightly to it, not needing Derek to help him sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So my muse was a little extra active on this story, thanks to all the feedback. Let me know what you thought of this chapter, also if you have any questions. I'll do my best to answer them without spoiling things!


	4. Chapter 4

Derek was gone when Stiles woke up. The only thing on the side of the bed he'd slept in was a small piece of paper with one simple word on it: "Sorry." Stiles turned on the TV, wanting some noise as he got his day off to a start.

As the news station came back from commercial break, the reporter immediately spoke his name, placing his photo in one of those little frames to the left of the screen. "Shots fired at a royal dedication ceremony… and not by the attacker. His Grace, Lord Stanisław 'Stiles' Stilinski, had some choice words for Fox News Anchor Lauren Williams after she questioned the legitimacy of his engagement to the Werewolf Prince of California, Sir Derek Hale." The screen cut to the sound bite of Stiles losing his temper. Color drained from his face. The reporter came back into the frame. "Williams has responded by saying  _If the Royal Families had nothing to hide, then there wouldn't be so much hostility to this line of questioning. And quite frankly given the way he went off, I wouldn't be surprised if we find out that he has been bitten by Queen Talia and all of this Human/Werewolf cooperation that we're hearing about is really just a sham. If he is a newly-turned Beta, he should not be around kids. He simply poses too much of a danger._ " Stiles felt his blood once again begin to boil. "Both Royal Families have vehemently denied these allegations. Queen Talia called them 'borderline treasonous' while Lord John Stilinski referred to them as 'blatant slanderous lies'. So I'm going to ask you guys… what do you think?"

Stiles then watched, slack-jawed as a panel of people debated the validity of Lauren's claim. Most of them agreed it was untrue, except one who said there was just no way to tell. A knock at his door pulled his attention to the way these animals were discussing his private life as if he weren't a real person who had to endure it. "Who is it?" Stiles asked, knowing that it had to be one of the older kids. The younger kids usually just barged in and hopped on the bed.

"Isaac," called the voice on the other side.

Stiles called back that he needed to pull on some more appropriate clothes. He found a tee-shirt and a pair of jeans and quickly threw them on before answering the door. Isaac's eyes remained focused on a spot on the floor. His hands were buried deep in his pockets and Stiles could tell he was holding back tears. "Isaac? Buddy what's wrong?" Stiles asked.

"I saw what they're saying about you on the news," he replied. "About you being a Werewolf and whatever."

"You know it's not true, right?"

"Yeah. That Lauren Williams person is a bitch," Isaac said. Stiles chuckled, surprised to hear him use such strong language. Normally he didn't tolerate profanity from his older kids, as it set a bad example for the younger ones, but he was fond of Isaac and since it was just the two of them and Isaac's assessment of the situation was correct, he decided to let it go. "But my dad might believe it. He could use it as ammo to try and get custody back again."

"A court would have me try and pass the Mountain Ash test and I would. The claims made against me would be dropped and your father's history would be more than enough to keep him away from you," Stiles said. "The first time I ever met you, I made you a promise. Do you remember what it was?"

"You said you'd never let me get hurt again," Isaac mumbled.

"I never break a promise," Stiles said. "I'm going to find you parents who love you and cherish you… parents who consider it an honor to call you their son. And I'm going to make sure to do it before you age out of the system."

"I keep telling you nobody's going to want me," Isaac said, continuing to stare at the same spot on the floor. "I'm 16. I'm un-adoptable. Stop wasting your time."

Stiles sighed. Isaac always retreated to this nihilistic viewpoint whenever he had one of his nightmares. "Which one?"

"The freezer," Isaac confirmed.

Stiles pulled Isaac into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, kiddo," he whispered. "Let's go have some breakfast and we'll talk about it, alright?"

Isaac was the only one of his kids who wasn't actually an orphan. His father was still alive, though Stiles firmly believed there was a special place in Hell for him when he  _did_  finally kick the bucket. Most of the other kids had already eaten and were playing with the toys that had been bought the day before. They both ate cereal in silence. Ana burst in, carrying a doll. "Thank you so much, Stiles! I love her!"

"You're welcome, Ana," Stiles replied. "But can you give me an Isaac a few minutes?" Ana seemed frustrated by being kicked out of the kitchen, but Stiles prided himself on being able to offer individual attention to his children when they needed it. Ana sulked out of the room, leaving Stiles and Isaac alone.

"What do I do if you can't keep your promise?" Isaac asked. "I'm not stupid. I know that the likelihood of me finding a family isn't high. I also know that when kids age out of the system, they don't fare well."

"Look at me," Stiles commanded. Isaac had a difficult time with eye contact. But Stiles needed him to see it in his eyes how dedicated he was to keeping his promise. "I'm serious. Look at me." Isaac lifted his head slightly, just enough to look into Stiles' eyes. I  _will_  find you a family that loves you, Isaac. There's actually a family that's interested in adopting you right now. I'm just trying to make sure that they're safe for you before I arrange a meeting."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Isaac asked.

"I didn't want to give you false hope," he replied. "But they seem really serious."

* * *

Several weeks passed in which Stiles didn't have to even look at Derek Hale, let alone think about him. His life was running in accordance with his plans and he could almost convince himself he wasn't engaged. Unfortunately reality caught up with him, as reality tends to do. A phone call from his father told him he had to meet at the Hale estate outside of San Diego. He had no choice.

As he pulled his car up to the estate, he became increasingly unhappy. Guards showed him to a large room where Talia, Derek, and his father were all seated. "His Grace, Lord 'Stiles' Stilinski," the guard announced.

"Stiles," Talia said warmly. "We're so glad you joined us."

"I wasn't given much of a choice, Your Majesty," Stiles replied.

Talia pretended to ignore the comment and opened a book filled with photographs. "The wedding is only a few months away. Press is going to begin to ramp up about it. And thanks to Lauren Williams, there will be several who are going to be looking for something out of the ordinary," she said, cutting straight to business.

"I thought I pretty effectively shut her down," Stiles replied.

"The way you handled that situation was ideal, actually," John interjected. "We're both very proud of you."

"And in the meantime, I've taken care of all the planning for the wedding," Talia added.

"I told her that you and I didn't care if there was a wedding at all, so yeah…" Derek said, bringing a glass of water to his lips.

"There are just a few details we need your input on, but other than that, it has all been finished," Talia said.

"But there's another issue we need to deal with," John added.

"I've played my part," Stiles said defensively.

"You have," Talia said. "It's not about that. You two haven't spoken in two weeks. We can't add any fuel to the fire. We need you to move in together, to give a show of solidarity and help squash the stories feeding off of Ms. Williams. So as an early wedding present, I'm giving you two the Salinas mansion. You can move in immediately."

"No!" Stiles and Derek both shouted at the same time.

John looked over at the Alpha. "Holy shit, Talia," he chuckled. "We finally got them to agree on something."

"I'm sorry, Derek, but we can't move you into the Beacon Hills mansion. Too much change all at once would upset Laura," Talia said.

"If we have to live together, then we have to live together," Derek said. "But I promised Stiles I wouldn't take him away from his kids. I'll move into the orphanage."

"You most certainly will not!" Stiles protested. "I'm close to finding placement for a kid whose father has been suing me for years. You moving into the orphanage could get me shut down. I would first need massive background-checks and clearances... It could take months. Years, even!"

"He's the Prince of California, a Knight, and the second-highest ranked Military official in the Territory, Stiles," John said. "He has the highest possible clearance allowed after the Great Restructuring."

"We can get whatever paperwork needed," Talia assured him. "But if you won't leave the Orphanage, then he needs to move in with you."

"But…" Stiles began to protest, but John cut him off.

"In less than three months, you're going to be walking down the aisle. If they aren't already, people will be asking questions if you two are living on opposite ends of the Territory!" Stiles cut his father a rude glare. "I'm serious, Stiles. You two are about to become roommates."

* * *

"Is the Douche going to be living with us?" Ana asked as Derek carried his belongings up to the bedroom he would be sharing with Stiles.

Stiles' arms were crossed and a disapproving glower seemed to be permanently affixed to his face. He had refused to help Derek in any way. "Yep. The Douche is going to be living with us."

"But he's your Prince," Ana said. "You should be happy."

"Oh no. He's  _your_  Prince," Stiles corrected. "He's  _my_  pain in the ass."

"Stiles you said a bad word," Ana scolded. "You should apologize."

"You're right," Stiles admitted. "I'm sorry." He loved Ana and her view on life.

"So what do we call him?" she asked. "We call you Stiles, but we call everyone else 'mister' or 'miss.' Is he 'Mr. Douche?'"

"Yes, Ana," Stiles said, a smile finally cracking his severe expression. "You can call him 'Mr. Douche.'" Ana lost interest in watching Derek move his belongings in, so she ran off. Isaac turned the corner. "Hey! How did the meeting go with the family?" Stiles asked him.

"They aren't going to adopt me," Isaac replied.

"What happened?" Stiles asked.

"Nobody wants a kid who can't even look them in the eye," Isaac replied.

"We were working on that," Stiles said.

"No.  _You_  were working on that.  _I_  was just going along with it because I knew you'd be happy if I did," Isaac admitted.

"Isaac, there's only so much I can do to help you in this situation. You've got to do some of the work yourself," Stiles told him. "Our placement criteria are already so rigorous that maybe a tenth of the parents who apply even make it to the point where they can possibly get matched to a child."

"I already know this, Stiles," Isaac grumbled.

"Okay then. Stop sabotaging yourself!" Stiles said.

"I will if you will," Isaac said before walking away.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stiles asked.

Isaac turned around and glanced at Derek momentarily before he shrugged and headed outside.

Stiles went upstairs to see how the move-in process was coming along. Derek's belongings were strewn throughout Stiles' bedroom. He felt his chest tightening anxiously. "You've been at this for hours. Why isn't this stuff put away?"

Derek rolled his eyes and sighed. "The sheer lack of help aside, I figured that if I touched your things, you'd yell and scream about how I fuck up the shit in your life and I'd spend the next week getting the cold shoulder from you."

Stiles smirked. "I guess you figured correctly, then."

Derek shook his head. "What did I do to deserve  _this_  for the rest of my life?"

"I think you mean  _my_  life," Stiles replied. "You're a Werewolf, remember? You'll outlive me, then you can spend the remainder of your life with someone you actually like."

"Look at you thinking with a glass-half-full mentality," Derek snickered.

"I'll clear some room in the dresser for you," Stiles said, not finding his comment funny.

"How generous."

"Don't be an asshole."

"It's amazing that I feel so welcome in my fiancé's home," Derek said.

"You can take your passive-aggressive tone and shove it up your ass," Stiles growled.

"Do you always use such colorful language in the presence of children?"

"Go fuck yourself, Derek. None of my kids can hear it," Stiles said. "And how  _fucking_ dare you? Let me tell you something. I'll even speak slowly so it gets through your thick Werewolf skull. This place is  _mine_. I call the shots. All I try to do is give these kids what they deserve. If you do anything to fuck this up…"

Derek stepped forward. "What will you do, Stiles? What could you possibly do to me?"

"I'll come clean about everything," Stiles vowed.

Derek's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

"Just fucking try me," Stiles said. The two of them stared each other down for several minutes before Derek leaned forward and kissed Stiles. Stiles was shocked, at first by what was happening, but quickly pushed Derek away from him. "What the fuck? I threaten you and then you kiss me?"

Derek scowled. "Did I misread a signal?"

"Yeah. How did any of that say 'kiss me' to you?"

"Because the last time we were arguing that badly I ended up getting a pretty amazing blowjob from my fiancé," Derek said. "I was kind of hoping that might happen again."

"You creep!" Stiles retorted. "What makes you think I would drop to my knees and suck your dick after that?"

"Because the tension is rolling off of you," Derek argued. "You want to fuck… hard. I can smell it on you."

"You're a piece of work, you know that."

Derek shoved Stiles hard, forcing him to fall backwards on the bed. As Stiles tried to get up to fight back, Derek crawled on top of him. He placed his hand over Stiles' heart. "It's racing right now. Just admit that you want it."

Stiles glared defiantly at Derek. He didn't want to give Derek the satisfaction of hearing him say those words. But he couldn't deny that Derek was right. He hadn't had release since the day at the Hale mansion and his body ached for it. After several minutes of feeling Derek grinding against him, Stiles finally said, "Take off your clothes." Derek grinned, but obeyed as Stiles did the same. Stiles reached into his bedside table and pulled out a bottle of lube. Derek went to grab it from him, but Stiles refused to allow it. "Not this time."

"If you're going to pull the same shit you did last time, it's not going to happen," Derek said. "It hurt way too much."

"Don't worry," Stiles assured. "I'm not going to hurt you." Derek climbed off of Stiles and lied down on his back as Stiles lifted his legs and began prepping him. When he began pushing into Derek, he went slowly, wanting to keep his promise. Their sex would eventually be rough and primal, the way both of them wanted it, but Stiles wanted to do to Derek what had been done to him the last time. That required a little work.

Once he was all the way inside, Stiles slowly worked up his pace. Derek moaned. "Who knew you had skill?" he teased. Though he lacked the supernatural powers Derek had, Stiles was still able to read the Werewolf's facial expressions and adjust his stride accordingly. He reached down and took Derek's cock in his hand, lightly caressing it. It throbbed in his grip as Derek's hips bucked as Stiles worked him to the very brink of an orgasm. "I'm close already," Derek confessed. Stiles quickly pulled out of him and took his hand away from Derek's cock. Derek bucked his hips in frustration and let out a whimper that Stiles would have thought almost pitiful if he hadn't found it so fucking sexy.

He let Derek wind down before going again, pushing back into him. This time, he was a bit more animalistic. He leaned down, biting on Derek's collarbone before letting his tongue trace along Derek's chest, then sucked on the pert nipple. His fingers once again grasped Derek's cock and pumped him up to edge, though not letting him come.

"FUCK!" he bellowed.

"Keep your voice down. There are kids in this building!" Stiles hissed angrily.

"Just… let me come!" Derek begged.

"Not yet," Stiles said.

"This is payback for last time, isn't it?" Derek asked as Stiles began working him up again. "If you don't let me come this time, I'll finish myself."

"And deny your fiancé the pleasure of bringing you to orgasm?" Stiles asked.

"But you don't actually care about me  _or_  my pleasure," Derek pointed out.

"You're right," Stiles said. "I just love to see that look on your face when you don't get what you want. But if you're going to pout about it, then fine." Stiles pushed back into Derek and worked both of them past the point of no return. Stiles shot deep into Derek, but Derek's load splattered itself across Stiles' chest, neck, and face. "That's gross," Stiles grimaced as he felt it begin to slide down his body.

Derek was still riding the waves of his pleasure, but he leaned up, licking it off Stiles' skin. "That was pretty good."

* * *

Derek didn't have time to adjust to the pace of life within the walls of the Orphanage. Since school was in full swing, much of Stiles' time was devoted to ensuring the kids' grades didn't slip while also doing everything he could to get them adopted. Derek still had his own royal duties to attend to. They didn't share a bed often, and when they did, they were thoroughly exhausted from the sex they had after arguing.

The holiday season came and went. Though Stiles tried, it was difficult to make an orphanage any semblance of "cheerful" during the Christmas season. But each of his kids had several things to unwrap on Christmas morning.

Since he managed to escape Christmas, he was required to spend New Year's with the Hales. The wedding day was to be on the following full moon, which would happen on January 28th. It was the Wolf Moon, and therefore a sacred holiday to the Hale family, marking change and restructuring within the Pack. Though Stiles was to remain human, after marrying Derek, he would be considered a member of the Hale pack.

As he sat in his bed, going over the final preparations for the wedding that Talia insisted he give his approval on, Stiles turned on the TV. There was another live-from-the-red-carpet interview with the Royals of California, as a museum dedicated to the history of Werewolves was being opened.

Cora was even interviewed, which was strange, considering how much Talia wanted to keep her away from reporters. "How do you feel about the big event coming up for your family? It's just a few weeks away now, right?"

"Yeah, but who doesn't like a wedding?" Cora replied simply, flashing her smile.

Talia was interviewed, too, expressing for the millionth time how excited she was about her son marrying Stiles.

Then Derek came on the screen. "So how are the wedding preparations going?"

"They're going great, actually! They're almost done."

"And how is your fiancé?" she asked.

"He's doing well. He's at home right now with his kids," Derek looked at the camera and waved. "Hello, my prince! I wish I was home with you!"

The reporter swooned. "That's so great! You two seem like the happiest couple who have ever lived. Do you two ever fight or do you just continue to be so sickeningly in love?" she teased.

Derek flashed his smile. "Like every couple, we fight, of course. A few days ago, we actually argued over floral compositions. Stiles wanted lavender, I wanted hydrangeas. Yeah, those are the fights we have."

"Aww!" the reporter exclaimed. "So what was the verdict?"

"There are going to be lavender flowers at our wedding," Derek laughed. "What can I say? I just want him to be happy."

The reporter laughed with him. "Well I wish you all the best and thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us!" she said before signing off.

Stiles was furious. That argument never happened. Well, they certainly argued, but it was about how much time Stiles would need to devote to Royal Duties once the wedding happened, considering he would be crowned as a Prince. Stiles tried to explain that there was a reason that he and his father didn't take the King/Prince title before. There wasn't a tradition for it among humans in the United States. It was a country founded on the rejection of a King and a monarchy and the humans wouldn't have accepted it.

" _They accepted_ _ **us**_ _," Derek had reminded him. "The humans call my mother Queen and call me Prince."_

" _And what makes us any better than they are? Before the War and the Great Restructuring, my dad was just a Sheriff. I was just some random hyperactive kid. There was nothing remarkable about any of us. But because of the choices and decisions he made during the war, suddenly we're royalty?" Stiles had asked._

" _Your argument makes no sense because you have the exact same rank as me but with a different title! Your father has the exact same rank as my mother, but you just call it something different. You're a royal. You just don't call yourself one. Now you will. And as such, there will be things you'll have to do," Derek shot back._

" _You promised me that you wouldn't take me away from my kids," Stiles had replied. Tears were filling his eyes._

Stiles shook that memory from his head. That had been their worst fight to date. It had only been a few days ago, and then Derek… said  _that_  on TV? He tried to sleep, but Derek's words kept playing in his head. He was downstairs drinking a glass of water when Derek came home. "You really outdid yourself in your latest interview, Derek," Stiles said softly as he set his glass down.

Derek sighed and shook his head. He was exhausted and didn't want to fight. That didn't stop him from saying what was on his mind. "Well, because unlike you, I care about our families' public image!"

"If I didn't care, I would have called off the wedding by now," Stiles replied. "The fact that you live here and we're still engaged is a testament to the fact that I care about  _my_  family's image. I don't give a rat's ass about yours."

"Why would you care at all?" Derek asked. "Because it's so much easier to hide away in your precious little orphanage than to face life outside these walls! You insist on spending so much time with your kids because being an adult in the real world is too difficult for you!"

Stiles knew that Derek was searching for whatever hurtful thing he could say and decided to return the favor. "At least I'm not scared shitless by some lousy fucking fireworks!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Derek demanded. Stiles had been the one who encouraged him to seek treatment for his PTSD. He was the one who told Derek that it wasn't anything to be ashamed of, that he could turn his fears into a way to help others.

"I hate you, Derek," Stiles said. "You think that eventually I'll come to like you like I did when I was 13, but you're wrong. I fucking hate you and our marriage isn't going to change that. Our marriage isn't going to change anything between us."

"I'd rather eat wolf's bane than be stuck with you for the rest of your life, you pompous, arrogant, two-faced, selfish, hypocritical asshole!" Derek shot back.

"I'm two-faced? A hypocrite? Enjoy the fucking lavender place settings at our fucking wedding, you half-breed piece of shit!" Stiles yelled, heading up the stairs. "I want you out of this place by sunrise."

"That's not going to happen," Derek said, following Stiles upstairs.

Stiles ran into the bedroom, rummaging through his dresser, looking for a small box. He quickly located it as Derek tried to charge into the room. Stiles reached into the box, grabbing a handful of shimmering black dust and threw it into the doorway. It immediately created a line, blocking Derek from entering. "Have fun trying to come to bed with a Mountain Ash line blocking you from entering."

Derek didn't even try to pass it, he knew he couldn't. "Where did you get that?"

"It doesn't matter. I want you gone."

"I guess I'll see you on our wedding day, asshole," Derek snarled as he headed back downstairs. Though he was tempted to, he didn't slam the door. He didn't want to wake the kids. He figured they shouldn't have to suffer for their caretaker's lack of social skills.

* * *

Stiles tried to get ahold of Derek the next day. He didn't really sleep. It didn't matter how angry he had been at Derek, he knew that what he'd said was wrong. The fight kept running through his head, like a mental PSA, reminding him of what a shitty human being he could be sometimes.

Looking up from a file for potential parents looking at adopting Ana, he pinched the bridge of his nose and looked over to check his phone. There was nothing. No missed calls or texts. He tapped out another message.  _Please come back so we can talk this out._  Stiles went back to his file. The candidates were perfect. They were everything he could hope in a prospective home for one of his children. He just wished he were half as successful with his relationship as he was with placing his kids in good homes.

_You could be_ , a voice in his head nagged.  _Just get over your hatred for him_. The answer was right there and it seemed so simple on the surface. But he had nothing in common with the Prince. Derek was nothing more than a figurehead. He served no useful function in society other than to have a pretty face that made well-worded speeches whenever necessary. Meanwhile, Stiles had to balance each child's needs, a large staff, bills, lawsuits, and now royal duties. He didn't have time for Derek or the slew of problems that Derek's increased presence in his life would bring.  _But that doesn't mean you have to be an ass_.

He heard the sound of the kids coming inside, the bus having just dropped them all off from school. Stiles made it a point to be available to help them all with homework. His degree had been in social work, but Stiles paid attention in his other courses and had a wide array of knowledge and could usually explain things to his kids. If not, there was always Google. When homework was done, it was time for dinner. Stiles stayed up a bit, hoping that maybe Derek would decide to come back, but as the clock reached midnight, he resigned himself to the fact that it wouldn't happen. Not that he blamed Derek.

The alarm woke everyone out of a dead sleep. A cold chill ran through Stiles. That wasn't a fire alarm he was hearing. He didn't have time to put on clothes. He ran out, his first thoughts being the safety of his children. Staff members were already doing their job of securing the kids in the dormitories. A loud smashing could be heard downstairs. "Headcount?" Stiles demanded.

"We're missing one," someone said.

"Fuck," Stiles muttered. He ran into his room, throwing on clothes and running downstairs as he heard a scream. "STILES!" He knew that voice. "Stiles help me!"

He rounded the corner to find two men dressed in all black slowly approaching Ana, who was crying. "Leave her alone!" Derek's voice bellowed. He shifted, his eyes glowing an ominous blue. Stiles tried to move closer to Ana. He could make out what looked like Japanese Oni masks on the intruders.

"Stiles I'm scared!" Ana cried.

"I'm right here!" Stiles told her. One of the intruders pulled out a katana and headed toward Ana. Derek tossed him over the furniture.

"I said to leave her alone!" Derek roared. The other intruder took his eyes of Ana, so Stiles quickly swooped in and picked her up, holding her closely to him. She clutched his shirt as tears ran down her face.

"It's alright, Ana," Stiles whispered. "I've got you."

One of the staff members carefully came downstairs, trying to ensure that Stiles was alright. Stiles saw her and quickly handed Ana to her. "I'll be right back for you. Go with Melanie…"

Stiles watched as the second intruder slashed Derek's chest with the katana. He ran into an adjoining room and grabbed a baseball bat that was often used by the kids to play a round of ball on the expansive land the orphanage sat on. Hurrying back into the room, he saw that Derek was taking slash after slash. The scraps of shirt that were left were drenched in blood, but Derek didn't give up. He kept fighting, taking more cuts, more blows. There was something not right going on. He knew that Derek should be able to take these men out. Then he realized, there was something on the blades weakening Derek. If he didn't help, Derek could die.

Stiles rushed forward. He managed to lay one powerful swing into one intruder's chest. He heard several ribs crack and the intruder doubled over. Derek was able to quickly overpower the remaining intruder, slamming his head into the wall, effectively knocking him out. Derek stumbled backwards. "Derek?" Stiles asked, rushing to his side.

"The blades," Derek grunted. "They were laced with something."

Police officers burst in. Stiles pointed to the men on the floor. "We need an ambulance immediately," he told them. He turned to Derek. "I've got you."

"I need to sit down," Derek managed.

Stiles helped him over to a chair. "Stay awake, Derek," he said. The ambulance arrived in minutes. They deemed it to be wolf's bane poisoning, which automatically meant that the intruders were facing a death sentence.

"We're going to need to make one small incision. That will let it out. But if he moves, it could kill him," the paramedic told him.

"He's a Beta Werewolf from one of the strongest packs in the world. Do you expect me to hold him down?" Stiles replied.

Derek groaned in pain. "I'll be alright. Just do it."

The paramedic sterilized his scalpel and began to cut into Derek's chest. A yellow gas seemed to seep out of the wound. Derek cried out in agony, but soon the wounds that dotted his torso began to seal themselves. "It's working," Stiles pointed out.

It took a while to file the proper police reports and Stiles had to make a call to the insurance company. He had enough money to pay for the repairs, but it meant that the new wing of dormitories would be delayed.

When the coast was clear, Stiles helped Derek into the bedroom, clearing the Mountain Ash line that had previously prevented him from entering it, and told his kids and staff that everything was alright and they could try to get some sleep. Ana had already fallen asleep in Melanie's bed, so the staff member moved to sleep on the couch downstairs. Stiles pulled out his credit card. "Here. There's a hotel a few miles away. Get yourself a room for the night. Help yourself to the minibar if you want."

"Thank you," she replied. She leaned her head into the room. "I'm glad you're alright, Your Highness," she added to Derek who waved and nodded.

Stiles closed the door and crawled into the bed. He ran his fingers over Derek's abdomen, checking to make sure that Derek was fully healed. "Ana—you saved her…" he said softly. "Thank you."

"This place is my home now," Derek replied. "It was my duty to protect it."

"Where were you these past few days?" Stiles asked. "I tried to contact you."

"Nearby," Derek replied cryptically. "And I got your messages. I just wasn't ready to talk."

Stiles sighed. "I'm sorry about what happened the other day. What I said… I can understand if you don't forgive me for it. I just… I hate this double life we're having to live and seeing you lie to that reporter about our argument just sent me over the edge."

"That doesn't excuse it, Stiles," Derek said softly. "I opened up to you. I revealed to you a secret that I hadn't told anyone and you used it against me as a tool to hurt me when you had no other ammo. I'm not sure how I can trust you with anything ever again."

"I understand," Stiles replied. "But for what it's worth… I truly regret what I said. We don't get along and we fight and that's just how our relationship is… but you're right. What I said to you was awful. I don't know why I went for that. I'm very sorry, Derek."

"Are you apologizing because you're genuinely sorry, or because you feel guilty now that I saved Ana's life?" Derek asked.

"I don't know," Stiles replied honestly. "Can we just start over?"

Several minutes of silence passed between them. Each was more punishing to Stiles than the last. Derek stared straight ahead while Stiles nervously attempted to figure out where to rest his eyes. "Hi, I'm Prince Derek Hale," Derek said finally, offering his hand to Stiles.

"I'm Lord Stanisław Stilinski. But you can call me 'Stiles'," he replied, heaving a sigh of relief.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Your Grace," Derek said with a smirk. "Did you hear we're engaged?"

"Yeah, it's a pesky rumor that keeps going around," Stiles laughed.

Derek leaned forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Stiles. "I don't want our life or our relationship to be difficult," he said, returning to a more serious tone. "And this hug feels awkward."

"You're right, it does," Stiles agreed. As they pulled away, Stiles asked, "Do you think our relationship is ever going to be 'normal'?"

Derek shrugged. "I don't know. Neither of us want this. I'm just hoping that we can at least learn to tolerate each other. I'm sick of fighting all the time."

"The sex afterwards is usually pretty good," Stiles pointed out.

Derek smirked. "I thought we started over… I guess you're going to have to show me."

Stiles though he saw Derek wink. "I think I can do that," he chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Okay so this chapter was a bit longer... and we finally got to meet this AU's Isaac. I'm really excited about the storyline I have planned for him. Also... in the next chapter, wedding bells will be tolling for our odd couple. At least they're not at each other's throats... at the moment. :) Let me know what you thought of this chapter!


	5. The Wedding

The world press was gathered in the biggest wedding celebration since Prince William and Princess Kate. Even the Queen of England herself had sent a guest to act as her proxy. Most people would have been downright excited for this fanfare. But neither groom was particularly happy. Each was with his parent on opposite ends of the cathedral.

"I'm proud of you, Stiles," John said as he straightened his son's bow tie. "The world knows what sacrifices Derek made, but nobody will ever know the sacrifices you made. And that's a real tragedy."

"Dad… please don't," Stiles pleaded.

"This isn't the life I wanted for you, son," John insisted.

"But it's the life you chose for me," he replied.

"I didn't make my decision lightly," John said. "And if I had been given any other option… I would have much rather seen you walking down the aisle toward Lydia… toward someone you love."

"And instead I'm about say my vows to Derek Hale," Stiles said.

"He really is a good guy, Stiles," John said, though Stiles was unsure which of them he was trying to convince. "I just wish I could do something…  _anything_ to repair our relationship."

Stiles turned around and looked into the mirror. He could see his dad's misty eyes as he stood right behind him. "You could tell me that I don't have to do this."

"You know I can't do that," John replied softly.

Tears began falling down Stiles' cheeks. This was the first time he'd ever truly spoken to his dad about how he felt. This was the first time his father had even shown the slightest bit of interest as to his feelings on the matter. And given that he had less than half an hour until he walked down the aisle and was to forever be wed to Derek, he thought that this conversation was far too late. "You didn't even try, dad. There were so many other options. And instead… you ripped me away from her and you didn't even try to give me the semblance of a choice! This wasn't supposed to be my life. I never wanted to be royal or famous. I never wanted  _any_  of this."

"I did what I thought was best for the Territory. And I admit, I didn't stop to think about what would have been best for you… but sometimes that has to happen when you're Royalty. The Hales have  _always_  been Royal among Werewolves. It was only natural that Talia became the Queen of the Werewolves in our Territory. And maybe if I hadn't hidden you away from the public eye as much as I did, you would have come to understand the weight of the position you were put in." John had more regrets than he could word, but this wasn't the time to air them. He recognized that the time had long since passed and there was no way to go back to that point. But for his own sanity, he needed to at least attempt to patch things up with his son.

"And maybe if I had been allowed to forge my own way in life, I would have been able to help make decisions that could benefit our Territory," Stiles said. "We rule over the largest population and expanse of land in North America. We could have made it work."

"I understand, Stiles," John said. "I really  _am_  sorry."

"It wasn't just my life your decision destroyed," Stiles pointed out. "Lydia and Derek were affected, too. You owe them apologies."

John could see that he wasn't going to make any headway with Stiles. So instead, he reached into a drawer and pulled out a box. When he opened it, he revealed to Stiles the crown that would be bestowed upon him once he was officially Derek's husband. John placed it on his head so that a large sapphire was facing the front. "That sapphire was part of a pendant I gave your mother before you were born. The pendant cost almost six month's salary. She loved it. After she died, I knew I wanted to find a way to give it to you."

"It's lovely," Stiles noted. "Thanks."

* * *

On the other side of the cathedral, Talia Hale was watching as her son finished buttoning the jacket of his tuxedo. "You look handsome," she told him. "You've always looked so dashing in formal wear."

Derek gave a half-hearted smirk in response, prompting Talia to ask him what was wrong. "It's not my place," Derek replied.

Talia sighed, wrapping her arms around her son. "I may be your Alpha and the Queen of the territory… but I will always be your mom first and foremost. You can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?"

Derek half-heartedly hugged her back. When they separated, he finally voiced his opinion. "What you and John have done to us is cruel."

"Weddings between Royals have been arranged for centuries, Derek," Talia said.

"I know that. But Stiles has only been a Royal for 10 years. And I'll be permitted to marry someone else eventually because I'll outlive him… but Stiles is going to spend his entire life married to someone he doesn't love. And if this doesn't work, you've basically doomed him to a life of unhappiness." Derek said. "And I wanted to have kids of my own. How am I supposed to do that when I'm marrying a man? How are we supposed to carry on the line? How are we supposed to create a dynasty?"

"Your father and I had an arranged marriage," Talia told him. "And I grew to love him very much… just as he loved you and your sisters."

"But wolves have different instincts in that regard, mom… and you know it. Stiles is never going to love me… and I don't know that I'll ever be able to love him. Please… call this off. We can come up with a different plan. A wedding ring is supposed to represent love and devotion… not misery and obligation," said Derek.

"If you were this opposed to the wedding, why didn't you say something sooner?" Talia asked.

"Because you're not just my mom. You're my Alpha. When you say you want me to do something, I do it. And after Laura… I felt I had no choice in the matter," Derek replied. "I'm a soldier. I follow orders. That's what I'm good at. I was never supposed to become the Alpha. My life was supposed to be a simple one of following orders. Now I'm having to make decisions and… this isn't a decision I would have made!"

"What would you have done differently?" Talia asked. Her voice was neither angry nor accusatory. She genuinely wanted to know.

"I would have assessed the threat of Hunter resurgence. It's easier to douse small embers than an entire burning forest. I would have made an example out of Hunter rebels and ensured that people understood that Hunters were no longer to be tolerated," Derek replied.

"Spoken like a true warrior," Talia noted. "And history would have remembered you as a despot who squashed any ideas that were counter to your own. Our territory extends from the Great Plains to Pacific Ocean. Your army would be stretched so thin that a new war would be certain to break out. We're accomplishing the exact same feat by showing that love is more powerful than hatred. The public thinks that you and Stiles are madly in love with one another. Love—specifically human love—will always conquer hate."

"But Stiles  _does_  hate me," Derek pointed out.

"Being your mother may cause me to be slightly biased, but I find it difficult to think that anyone could hate you. Stiles hates the idea of you… everything he thinks you represent. Show him that you're more than that. Find common ground with him and then build from there," Talia suggested.

"I've tried," Derek told her. "But Stiles impetuous, easy to anger, prone to lash out, and his mood changes often, and I—to be honest… I really,  _really_  don't like him. He has no sense of duty to the Territory or his position and if it has nothing to do with his kids, he wants nothing to do with it."

"Derek, your marriage will get easier. I promise," Talia told him. "Until then, make the best of it."

Derek scoffed. "That's the advice you have for your only son? 'Make the best of it.' Mom… I can't make the best of it when he fights me on  _everything_."

"Then this is your first test as the future Alpha of the Hales as well as the Territory," Talia told him. "You must learn to negotiate and compromise with even the least accommodating of people."

Derek heard the music begin to play. He knew he had to get in position. Everyone bowed as he and Talia entered the cathedral. He smiled pleasantly, his arm linked with Talia's. They walked steadily down the aisle to the end. Derek could hear people commenting on how good he looked, how happy he must be, and how proud Talia must have been.

Talia didn't smile until she took her spot behind her son at the altar.

* * *

 

Stiles required a bit more prodding. "Please dad…" he begged, even dropping to his knees. "Daddy please don't make me do this."

"Stand up, Stiles," John ordered, his patience waning. "This kind of behavior isn't befitting of a future Prince of the Territory. We can't go back from this. You have to get out there and marry that boy."

"Mom wouldn't have made me do this," Stiles grumbled as he rose to his feet. "She would have cared enough about my happiness." Stiles turned back to the mirror, wiping the tears from his eyes. He didn't do a thorough job because he knew it was common for people to cry on their wedding day and most spectators would think little of it.

He moved quickly to the door. "Stiles, wait!" John called.

"No, dad," Stiles replied defiantly, taking the crown from his head and placing it back in the drawer. "You've made up your mind. Let's just get it over with."

John reluctantly followed his son, who put on a good enough air as he made his way down the aisle.  _This is just like the rehearsal_ , Stiles told himself.  _Only this time, it's legally binding and when everything is over, you'll be married to him for the rest of your life. No big._  Despite the fact that he wasn't happy about the situation, he noticed something else.  _That fucking asshole! He_ _ **would**_ _choose today to look drop-dead gorgeous. He should have just stopped at the drop-dead part._

Stiles took his spot in front of Derek. The Justice of the Peace began the typical "We are gathered here today…" nonsense. He kept a running commentary on his head, riffing on the entire ceremony as the Justice discussed love, commitment, and the eternal bonds of marriage. "The grooms have chosen to take the traditional vows," the Justice announced.

Derek went first. He heard Stiles' heart race as he took the ring from Talia and placed it on Stiles' finger. Derek spoke the vows they agreed to. "Stiles, I take you as my husband, with your faults and your strengths, as I offer myself to you with my own faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I'm in need of help. May this ring serve as a symbol of my devotion to our vows and to you."

Stiles then took the other ring from his father and slid it onto Derek's finger. "Derek, I take you as my husband, with your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you with my own faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I'm I need of help."  _Nailed it_ , he thought.  _Now that last line_. He took a deep breath.  _You've practiced this. You almost believed it that last time you said it in the mirror._  "May this ring serve as a symbol of my devotion to our vows and to you."

"By the power vested in me by Queen Talia Hale and Lord John Stilinski, the crowned rulers of the Territory of California, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your groom," the Justice said.

Kisses were second nature to them. They had kissed plenty of times in public and they knew how to do it convincingly… but there was a lot of pressure on this kiss. It was their first kiss as a married couple. Stiles was ashamed to admit that they had practiced this kiss, but Derek went off-script. He dipped Stiles back, and kissed him with such intensity that it took the wind from his lungs. It was a great kiss. Spectacular, even. Stiles would go so far as to say it was the best kiss they had shared to date. And he resented it.

When they were standing upright and no longer conjoined at the lips, they walked back down the aisle, rice and confetti being thrown over them as they climbed into the limo waiting to bring them to the extravagant hall that had been booked for the reception.

"Why do I have the sinking suspicion you're mad at me," Derek said once it was just the two of them.

"There's an easy way to tell if I'm mad at you, Derek," Stiles replied. "If you have a pulse, chances are pretty good that I'm mad at you."

"The reception hasn't even started and it's already business as usual," Derek muttered as he looked out the window.

"You shouldn't have surprised me like that!" Stiles scolded. "I rehearsed everything a thousand times to ensure that my heart rate wouldn't even budge when I said the vows. But I should have expected it. It's not like having no choice in my relationship is anything new or anything. I was just hoping that maybe you wouldn't throw me a curve ball on the day of the wedding when the entire world was watching us."

Derek sighed. "You're about to be crowned the Prince of Modesto. Can you at least  _try_  to enjoy yourself?"

"So I'm not good enough to be Prince of Beacon Hills, like you?" Stiles shot back. That title was given to the heir apparent to the throne of California, similarly to the title of Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom. He felt incredibly insulted that he wouldn't inherit that title alongside Derek.

"It was decided that you'd receive a different title because it would be confusing if we were both referred to as the Prince of Beacon Hills," Derek replied. "Not everything is a personal attack on you. Despite your belief to the contrary… Not everyone cares enough about you to personally attack you. I just married you and I don't…"

"Thanks, Derek. That's exactly what I needed to hear," Stiles said. Tears began falling from his cheeks. His fingers played with the ring that felt more like a shackle.

"I'm sorry," Derek replied swiftly. He moved next to Stiles and wrapped his arms tightly around him. "This isn't what a wedding is supposed to be like." Stiles didn't have the energy to try and pull away from Derek's attempt at comforting him. He didn't want comfort. He wanted freedom that he'll never get. The tears he had been holding in throughout the entire process burst forth like a floodgate opening. Rather than fighting away from Derek, he found himself turning toward him, burying his face in his husband's neck as he sobbed. "It's alright," Derek assured him. "You deserve a good cry after all of this."

Stiles cried until they reached the hall. People were waiting on them to join, but Derek sat patiently with Stiles, giving him the time he needed, knowing that they couldn't go in separately. When Stiles finally sat up, his eyes were puffy. He tried wiping them with his fingers, but Derek pulled out a handkerchief and did the rest. He searched the miserable face before him, wanting to say something that could comfort him… wanting to love the man he had in his hands, but unable to do so. "Thanks," Stiles said softly.

"What are husbands for?" he asked. Stiles gave a weak attempt to smile. Derek kissed his forehead. Both men knew the gesture was empty, but Derek hoped Stiles would realize that the words that followed were not. "I'm going to do my best to assure that this is as least-painful as possible. I just ask that you do the same."

"The coronation and reception or the marriage?" Stiles asked.

Derek chuckled. "All of the above. Then after, we'll leave for our honeymoon and have a ton of amazing sex… And every time we get to the point where we're annoyed by the other's presence… I'll do that thing with my tongue that you really like."

"That sounds like a plan. Thank you, Derek."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Sorry for the short chapter. I just thought that was a good place to leave off... give them a little happy. Marriage can be hard. Marriage to someone you don't even love is harder. As always, your feedback is not only welcome but encouraged!


	6. The Honeymoon

Stiles and Derek managed to make it into the reception hall with little delay. Talia immediately pulled them aside. "We've decided to postpone the coronation until after your honeymoon… we wanted to try and make it a bit more special," she told them.

"How special could being crowned the Prince of Modesto possibly be?" Stiles asked. "That place is a total shit hole. I couldn't even place it on a map, though not like I'd want to. How am I supposed to be its Prince?"

"There's a lot of support for you in Modesto, Stiles," Talia informed him.

"Really?" Stiles asked skeptically. "It's fucking Modesto. You could have at least given me Sacramento or San Francisco…. You know… somewhere civilized. Hell… give me Napa, that way I can always be sufficiently drunk to handle this entire charade we're going to call my marriage."

"Stiles, don't be ungrateful," Derek said softly.

"What's there to be grateful for? She gave me  _Modesto_ ," Stiles replied. The more he said the word, the more it sounded as though it left a bad taste in his mouth. And it did.

"Nobody has made any announcements as to what the nature of your appointment will be after the wedding," Talia said, making no effort to hide how annoyed she was becoming. "So we can change the title if you wish."

"How about we take care of all of that after the honeymoon?" Stiles asked. "Now, Your Majesty, if you would be so kind as to point me in the direction of the bar."

* * *

 

The food was delicious, the drinks were strong and plentiful, and the music was fantastic. Stiles was almost able to forget that he hated this entire thing. Stiles had insisted on a DJ. There were certain songs he believed were required to be played at a wedding, and no band could do them justice.

When everyone was up and dancing, Stiles began to have fun. He and Derek were in close proximity, but at his level of intoxication, Derek seemed to be an okay guy. A ballad had begun playing, leading Derek to hold Stiles close, every move choreographed as to provide no suspicion, Stiles backed away. "I'm tired. I need to sit for a few minutes. The dance floor is starting to spin," he told Derek.

"Alright," the Werewolf said, accompanying him back. Once seated, Derek leaned over. "Be careful, Stiles. I might end up thinking you're actually enjoying yourself."

"Well we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Stiles replied, chuckling.

"This is a lot like the coronation when you were young," Derek pointed out.

"With the slight difference of me not trying my best to get you in my bed," Stiles laughed.

The two of them made small talk, joking and teasing one another in a way that gave Derek a slight glimmer of hope toward what he feared would be a long, dull, stressful marriage. The ballad faded from their ears, replaced by a tune that Stiles immediately recognized and knew was highly inappropriate for a wedding.

_Well imagine as I'm pacing the pews of the church corridor and I can't help but to hear—no I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words. "What a beautiful wedding. What a beautiful wedding," says the Bridesmaid to the waiter._

" _Yes, but what a shame… what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore."_

Everyone froze. All of the guests looked at Stiles and Derek, anxious to see how they would react. "I'm not entirely sure that song is appropriate for a wedding reception," Stiles said plainly. A general murmur of agreement swept the crowd. Stiles stood up. "Play it louder!"

There was shock, the DJ even looked to Derek who shrugged, then nodded.

* * *

The flight was long, but Stiles slept with his head resting against Derek's shoulder. Derek didn't mind. It was a private flight and there was wifi, so he was able to get some work done, despite the numbness and subsequent pins and needles creeping down his arm. They arrived in the middle of the night to the island of St. Bart's, where the Hales kept a vacation home. It was an expansive villa that was often rented out to honeymooners. This would be the first time a Hale had been to the property for quite some time. Stiles was drowsy, but he couldn't help but look around in awe. Even at night, the villa was gorgeous.

Stiles spun around several times trying to take it all in. Derek walked up to him and wrapped him in a tight hug before kissing him. The kiss was intimate, yet pronounced. It seemed very out of place in terms of their relationship. "Are there cameras nearby?" Stiles asked. He knew Derek's senses would have been able to pick them up, and the lack of privacy was beginning to become something to which he was, unfortunately, getting quite accustomed.

"No," Derek said. "I really just wanted to kiss my husband. The more we try and act like a married couple, the more natural it might feel eventually."

"We only ever kiss when there's a camera to snap a photo of it," Stiles replied. "Intimacy isn't really our thing."

"Maybe it should become our thing. Wolves bond by cuddling and nuzzling one another," Derek told him. "And sex with you is always good… but it's lacking something."

"We both always get off," Stiles said. He was too tired to think about stuff like this.

"But we rarely ever even look at one another while we're doing it. It's just an act to achieve an end…" Derek said. "So since we're going to be here in this house for a week with just the two of us, we're not going to have much to do other than have sex. I was hoping that maybe we could actually get to know each other a bit more intimately…"

"That sounds like work and I'm exhausted. Can we get back to this after I've had some sleep?" Stiles asked.

Derek sighed. "Alright."

They left their bags in the living room, not wanting to expend the energy it would take to unpack their clothes. They headed toward the bedroom, but Derek stopped Stiles, choosing to pick him up. "What are you doing?" Stiles demanded. "Put me down right now!"

"There is very little that is traditional about our marriage, Stiles," Derek said. "But that doesn't mean that I don't still hold some traditions to be sacred. I didn't carry you over the threshold into the villa, but I'm carrying you over the threshold into the room where we're going to consummate our marriage."

"Who says the bedroom is where we'll have sex for the first time as a married couple?" Stiles asked. "What if I take you on that couch right there?"

"Not happening," Derek grunted. "You can definitely top the first time, but it's going to be in a bed. The second time can be wherever you want."

"You're even taking the fun out of our first married fuck," Stiles said. "This marriage is going to be a total blast!" The sarcasm dripping from his voice caused Derek's nose to flare angrily.

"I've got you in my arms. You're going over the damned threshold," Derek replied. "And we're going to have sex in a bed." His tone made it clear that there would be no more discussion on the matter as he carried Stiles up the stairs and into the bedroom before gently setting him on the most comfortable bed Stiles had ever been on. Derek crawled on top of him. "Sleep well." He leaned down and placed another kiss on Stiles' cheek. It felt strange, but Derek hoped that in time, it would come to seem more natural. He hoped their marriage would eventually not be such exhausting work.

"Derek, I'm tired…" Stiles complained.

"Then go to sleep," Derek replied playfully. "I'm not stopping you."

"Fine then," Stiles said. He closed his eyes and adjusted his position a little, causing his pelvis to brush against Derek's in a manner that was accidentally more sensual than he intended before settling into a position more comfortable for sleeping.

Stiles stayed still for several minutes. He knew Derek was still hovering over his body. He could feel himself drifting off to sleep when Derek kissed his lips. His eyes sprang open, glaring at Derek accusingly. Derek backed away, putting his hands in the air as if to say "I'm innocent!" and Stiles closed his eyes again, trying to actually get the rest his body and mind craved. Another kiss came right as he was drifting off again. He pushed Derek back, this time incredibly angry. "What?" Derek asked with a smirk. "You wake up when I kiss you. It's like you're sleeping beauty or something."

"And you're supposed to be Prince Charming in this analogy?" Stiles snapped. "You're not getting any tonight, so you can stop. You're really pissing me off right now."

"Sorry," Derek replied swiftly. "Sleep well," he added before taking his place beside his husband. It took only a little while before he felt Stiles' arm and leg snake around him. It was the first time Derek was ever the little spoon.

The next morning Stiles woke up alone in the bed. He was still in his clothes from the trip and figured he probably smelled pretty ripe, but he'd take care of that later. He crawled out of bed and began exploring the house, trying to find Derek, who was already out at the beach. "Good morning," he called as he splashed in the water.

Stiles needed coffee before he could form whole words, so instead he responded with something halfway between a grunt and a sigh. Derek laughed and came over to him. "Why are you awake?" Stiles asked.

"I don't need as much sleep as you do," Derek replied. "Especially around the full moon. Sorry about last night."

"Water under the bridge," Stiles said. He paused for a moment as everything felt incredibly awkward for some reason. He felt desperate to change the topic of conversation. "Does this place have internet? I have several kids who are meeting with potential families this week, so I am going to need to do a bit of work while I'm here."

"Yeah it has internet," Derek told him. He felt the anxiety coming from Stiles. "Just please don't work all week. We're supposed to be on our honeymoon."

"Celebrating the marriage neither of us wanted, Derek. I figured we would just stay out of each other's hair," Stiles admitted.

Derek's body language became more tense and Stiles could tell he was getting angry. "Are you planning on spending any time with me?"

"I don't know why you care… you don't like me either… and we're stuck on an island together," Stiles said. "What will it hurt if I send some emails and make sure my kids are doing alright?"

"Because I'm going to eventually get to the point where I don't even bother putting in any effort," Derek said. "And that point is getting closer and closer."

"What the fuck, Derek… Last night, I couldn't keep you off me even though I was tired and now you're doing this? Is this because I wouldn't let you fuck me?" Stiles asked.

Derek rolled his eyes and walked back toward the beach. "Go send your fucking emails."

Even though he knew Derek wouldn't see it, Stiles flipped him off with both hands and headed back into the villa. He was startled to see a woman sweeping the tile in the kitchen. She looked up at him and smiled. "Vous avez faim?" she asked.

"Uh… I don't speak French," he stammered.

"Je peux vous faire quelque chose à manger," she said.

"What?"

"Manger!" she exclaimed. She pantomimed the act of eating. "Eat."

"Oh. Yeah," he said. "Thanks—uh merci!"

She immediately fished out a few dishes and began preparing him some food. Stiles dug through his luggage and pulled up his laptop out and turned it on, setting it on a coffee table in the living area. He was still sifting through his emails when he found one that nearly brought tears of frustrated anger to his eyes. The damage caused by the intruders drained too much money for him to still finish the dormitories and the insurance company wasn't going to cover the damage.

The woman was putting the finishing touches on the food when Derek walked in, dripping sea water and a towel wrapped around him. The woman cooked enough for both of them. "Ah merci beaucoup Marie-Claire!" he exclaimed as she sat the two plates near where Stiles was sitting. Derek turned to Stiles. "What's wrong now?"

"I can't finish the addition to the orphanage. The insurance company isn't going to pay for the damages caused by those intruders and the subsequent security upgrade means that I'm about $20,000 short of the total needed for the renovations," Stiles said. "Donations have been drying up and it's sill six months until our annual fund-raiser… and most of my personal money is tied up in trusts that earn much of the interest that keeps the orphanage running."

Derek sliced open the eggs, allowing the yolk to run, covering his entire plate. He dipped a piece of bacon in it and slowly chewed it before standing up and darting upstairs. Stiles eyed the stairwell suspiciously for several moments, before returning to his own breakfast and cranking out a few more emails.

When Derek came back, Stiles was closing his laptop. "You said you're $20,000 short right?" Derek asked.

"Yeah," Stiles said. "I'm going to have to visit my accountant when we get back to the Territory."

"Or you could just go to the bank and deposit this," Derek said, pulling out a check and handing it to Stiles.

"Derek I…" Stiles said as he looked down, to see that Derek had actually made it out for $30,000. "I can't accept this… that's too generous!"

"You're my husband now," Derek replied. "I made a vow to help you when you need help. I'm sorry I was being such a dick earlier."

Overcome with emotion, Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek's neck, pulling him in for a tight hug. "Thank you so much. I'll pay you back, I swear…"

"You don't have to pay me back, Stiles. We're married," Derek replied. "Seriously… use the extra to do something good for the kids." Stiles was still squeezing him, so Derek finally returned it. "I told you this marriage could be more mutually beneficial."

Stiles pulled away and placed a kiss on Derek's lips, deepening it slowly in a way that caused Marie-Claire to clear her throat. "Vous me voulez partir?" she asked. "Je pense que vous désiriez être seuls."

Derek chuckled. "Nous sommes désolés, Marie-Claire."

Marie-Claire simply smiled. "Je reviendrai à preparer le dîner pour vous." She bowed deeply before saying, "Vos Altesses." and walking out.

"What was all that?" Stiles asked. "How did I not know you speak fluent French?"

"She asked if we wanted privacy and I apologized for how forward we were being. She said she'd be back to make us dinner, then addressed us as Your Highnesses before leaving," he explained. "And I speak lots of languages."

"Well… listening to you speak French is sexy," Stiles admitted. "Even if I have no clue what you're saying."

Derek pushed Stiles back and kissed him, letting his lips trail down Stiles' jaw, working toward his chest. "You smell awful," he chuckled.

"I know… I can go shower," Stiles offered.

"Why clean up when you're just going to get dirty again?" Derek asked teasingly.

"Then why bring it up?" Stiles asked.

Derek paused. "I honestly don't know," he admitted. "It's like… we get so caught up in annoying one another that it is almost instinctual."

"Then… I promise that at least on this trip, I'll do my best not to resort to the annoying shit if you will," Stiles said.

"Deal," Derek said, sealing it with a kiss.

"Wanna move this up to the bedroom?" Stiles asked.

"I'm comfortable right here," Derek replied, moving in between Stiles' legs.

They had sex in nearly every room of the villa and even on the beach. By the time it was over, both of them were thoroughly exhausted. Marie-Claire returned, as promised, to make them one of the best dinners either men had eaten in a very long time. Stiles tuned out the French chatting between Derek and Marie-Claire as she cleaned up and bustled out.

"What was all that about?" Stiles asked.

"Oh… apparently there's a storm cell moving over the island tonight. She wanted to get home before it hit," Derek replied.

"Are we going to be alright?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah. She just prefers to be cautious. Just some winds and rain. It'll be fine," Derek replied.

"It's not going to rain for our entire trip, is it?"

"Just tonight and maybe early tomorrow," Derek said. "So why don't we watch a movie and sleep through the storm?"

"Or we could do a little more of what we did earlier…" Stiles suggested.

"I don't know about you but I'm exhausted," Derek said.

Stiles pouted and sighed. "Alright… but no horror films… and no love flicks."

"Buddy comedy?" Derek asked.

"Sure," Stiles replied. "I'm going to shower while you're getting all of that set up."

Derek smiled before they both headed upstairs, though Stiles began drawing his bath. The water felt good, washing off the smells of travel, stress, and sex. He lost track of time and half expected Derek to come tell him to hurry up when the lights turned off. "Really funny, Derek," Stiles said. "I'm almost done. Turn them back on."

There was silence until a clap of thunder so loud it shook the villa boomed outside, followed by a loud whimper, that sounded like a dog whose tail got stepped on. Stiles grabbed the towel and rushed out, sliding on the tile, sending him into the wall, causing another loud bang and a few scrapes and bruises. He pushed himself to his feet trying to get to Derek.

"Derek? Where are you?" he called, barely able to see anything in the darkness.

"No… make it stop…" he heard from a corner, over and over again.

"Derek… it's just thunder…"

"No… they're innocent. Please… there's another way. You don't have to kill them!"

Another boom of thunder was followed by a yelp of terror. In the flash of the lightning that preceded it, Stiles saw Derek hunched over in a corner, his knees drawn all the way up to his chin, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. He slowly approached and laid a gentle hand on Derek's shoulder. Derek reached out, grabbing Stiles' wrist so tightly that Stiles feared he would crush the bones. "Derek… you're alright. But… you're hurting me. Please let go."

"Don't touch me!" Derek growled, but then his voice changed, growing distant and unfocused. "Can you make them stop?"

"It's not real. It feels real… it may even smell and sound real, but it's not," Stiles said, doing his best to remain calm. "Look around you and tell me what you see, smell, hear, taste… Tell me everything. Just breathe slowly and describe to me what you see around you."

Derek was dripping sweat and his eyes were wide and crazed. He tried to take the slow, deep breaths Stiles instructed him to as he stammered out his response. "We're in… the villa. The rain… it's really loud. But I smell you."

"And you know who I am, right?" Stiles asked.

"You're Stiles," he replied. His voice was calming down and the deep breaths were starting to work. "And you're my husband."

"Do you want me to get you some water or something?" Stiles asked.

Derek reached out, grabbing Stiles. The panic instantly returned to his voice. "No! Please!" he yelped. "Please don't leave me…"

"Alright I'll stay with you," Stiles told him. He had a measured calm that he exuded. Most of his kids suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and he did a lot of research on the disorder when he was studying to become a social worker. He knew this disorder well and the fact that Derek was so  _normal_  the rest of the time made Stiles wonder how he actually got through each day, given the amount of effort he had to be putting forth to appear that way. "I'll stay with you for as long as you need."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes until more thunder caused Derek to cower and hide his head. Stiles began humming a song he remembered from his childhood, one that his mother often sang to him when he was scared as a child. It seemed to work and Derek moved closer to Stiles. "Will you… will you hold me?" he asked, almost as if he were afraid that Stiles would refuse his request.

"Sure," Stiles replied, moving into a more comfortable position before wrapping his arms around Derek, who rested his entire body against Stiles' torso. Stiles ran his fingers through Derek's thick, black hair and continued humming the song before he finally said, "You could have come and found me when the storm first started."

"Why would I have trusted you with my fears when you've used them against me before?" Derek said weakly.

For the first time in their relationship, the gravity and guilt of his actions actually weighed upon Stiles and they were so heavy that Stiles found it hard to even draw breath. "I'm very sorry for that, Derek. I promise it won't happen again."

It wasn't until dawn was breaking that the storms finally ended. Both Stiles and Derek were tired from their lack of sleep. Derek finally felt safe enough to move from the spot on the floor to the bed where he fell asleep nestled against Stiles.

They slept most of that day. Marie-Claire came, prepared several meals and put them in the fridge with detailed instructions on how to warm them… written entirely in French. Derek woke up with a start and reached out for Stiles, accidentally waking him up. "Are you alright?" Stiles asked groggily.

"Yeah," Derek replied. "I just needed to know you were still there."

"I told you I would stay with you until for as long as you needed," Stiles replied, scooting himself so that he could lean against the headboard. "Are you alright?"

"I'm better now…"

"You don't have to lie to me, Derek," Stiles said softly. "Are you alright?"

Derek looked over at Stiles, inhaled deeply, and prepared to affirm that he was, indeed, alright. But he knew that Stiles would see through that lie as well. "I'm always scared. I'm  _the_  apex predator and the second-highest ranked Werewolf in the territory, son of one of the most powerful and respected Alphas to ever exist… I'm the product of a centuries long line of werewolves… and I'm constantly  _terrified_ ," he admitted. "I'm terrified of the most ordinary and natural things. The War ended a decade ago and I can't move past it… what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you. You saw and endured things that are truly horrifying," Stiles said.

"But Betas are trained to fight…"

"Yes… using claws and teeth. Humans are trained to fight with guns and bombs. You weren't prepared for the things you saw… and to be honest, humans are completely horrifying creatures," Stiles said. "You're a Werewolf. You can heal from nearly any physical wound. But when your mind and your heart get hurt… that requires a bit of help."

"I don't know how to do it…" Derek said.

"I do," Stiles replied. "And I know some therapists who specialize in this."

"But we're Princes," Derek said.

"No," Stiles said. "We're people."

* * *

Derek reclined on the couch with a book in his hand as Stiles swam in the ocean. They had spent much of their time together and while Derek felt that it was because of some sense of obligation on Stiles' part, he was happy that they weren't fighting.

When Stiles' phone began sounding, he considered not answering it, but as he looked over, he saw the FaceTime call coming in from Isaac. He reached over and picked it up.

Isaac was wiping tears away from his eyes. "Your Highness," he said, clearly shocked to see Derek's face looking back at him. "I'm sorry… I'm interfering with your honeymoon… I'm such an idiot…"

"Just call me Derek," he replied. "And it's fine. But are  _you_  alright?"

"I'll be fine, I guess. Can you just have Stiles call me back?"

"Certainly… but you look like someone who might need to talk right now. I'm willing to listen if you want …" Derek said. He could tell that Isaac felt uneasy. "But if you would rather talk to Stiles, I'll have him call you back when he gets back from the beach."

"No offense, Your Highness… I mean… uh… Derek… I just don't think that you'd care to listen to the ramblings of a teenager scared of his own shadow," Isaac said.

"Probably as interested as you might be of hearing about a Prince with the exact same problem…" Derek said.

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed…" Isaac grumbled.

Derek chuckled. "I actually think I'm guilty of overestimating your interest in how similar we might actually be."

"There's no way you're scared of anything," Isaac replied. "You're one of the most powerful people in the Territory."

"And I'm constantly terrified. Nobody is immune to fear, Isaac," Derek said. "And Stiles was the first person to ever show me that fear is okay. So what are you afraid of?"

"My dad," Isaac answered with no hesitation. "I'm afraid that he'll get me back… or he'll find me when I age out."

"What do you mean 'age out'?"

"After I turn 18, Stiles can't keep me in the orphanage. I'll be forced to figure out my life on my own and I won't be able to hire a lawyer to keep my dad away from me," Isaac replied.

"Stiles won't let that happen to you, you know that right?" Derek told him. "He cares too much about you."

"No offense, sir, but I'm hopeless. My dad may have been a terrible person, but he was always right. I'm weak… I'm a coward. And there's nobody who is ever going to love someone as broken as I am," Isaac said.

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Derek asked. He could feel his heart breaking for this kid.

"Of course I do," Isaac said. "How could I not?"

"How old are you?"

"I'm almost 17," he replied.

"And yet you can name your fears and are actively working on dealing with them. That doesn't sound cowardly to me," Derek said. "And I have it on good authority that there was a family that really wanted to adopt you."

"They bailed… they decided on a younger, newer, less emotionally damaged model," Isaac replied.

"Don't they know that with age comes experience and wisdom?" Derek joked.

Isaac didn't find it funny. "I'm getting off the phone now."

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine," Isaac replied. "But talking to you  _did_  help. Thanks Your High—I mean thanks, Derek."

"Anytime," Derek replied, then Isaac ended the call. He looked up to see Stiles looking at him, one eyebrow raised. He had a hard time reading Stiles' body language. "I'm so sorry… I should have come and gotten you…"

"Relax. I'm not mad at you," Stiles replied, wrapping the towel tighter around his waist. "You were really good with him. I was really impressed."

"I know you want there to be a distinct wall between me and what you do… if I overstepped my boundaries, I'm really sorry," he said.

"It's fine," Stiles repeated. "Maybe you can get through to him."

Glancing down, Derek noticed the erection tenting Stiles' bathing suite. "And it looks like somebody's happy to see me..."

"Swimming always makes me incredibly horny... I can't help it..."

Derek smirked. "I can. Where and how?"

"I don't care… I want you to have fun," Stiles replied, giving him carte-blanche. Derek bit his lip before nearly pouncing on Stiles, taking him right there in the doorway.

* * *

The honeymoon was drawing to a close and though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Stiles was actually glad for the opportunity he had to be alone with Derek. The sex had been completely phenomenal and not having to be quiet because there were no kids who could hear the completely wild things they had done was starting to make Stiles feel a little spoiled.

He woke up first and looked over at Derek who was sleeping soundly. It took a few moments for last night's escapade to come back to him and suddenly Stiles realized he would have a hard time looking Talia in the eye after knowing what he and Derek did the night before. He smiled a little and considered covering Derek's butt, but decided it was too good to obscure.

He pulled on a bathing suit and started to head to the beach, but didn't want Derek to think he'd escaped or something, so he grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a note.

_Derek,_

_I headed out to the beach for a swim. I'll be back in a little while… or you can come join me…_

He wondered how to end it. Most newlyweds would write "I love you." But Stiles knew that was a blatant lie and could possibly start a fight. But he no longer hated Derek. He scribbled the first thing that came to his mind and then headed back down to the beach, where he could enjoy the warm, salty water before he went back to pack up to head home.

He had been alone in the ocean for nearly half an hour before he was joined by Derek. "You blank me?" Derek asked.

Stiles blushed. "Yeah… I didn't really know what to write. I figured I would just leave that one open for you."

"You're different towards me," Derek noted, swimming closer to Stiles. Both could still touch the sand, so he felt comfortable, wrapping his arms around his husband. "I like it."

"You haven't pissed me off as much as you usually do," Stiles replied dismissively, forcing Derek to chuckle.

"Or you're coming to care for me…"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, big guy," Stiles said. "I don't hate you. I never said I liked you."

"It'll come," Derek said, leaning forward to kiss Stiles. "I can be one charming Werewolf, you know…"

"Your head is getting almost as big as… your other head," Stiles quipped.

"It's pretty easy to make the other one go down," Derek replied with a grin.

"Smooth, Derek… Really smooth."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Progress!! And this chapter is actually kind of long... which is why it took me forever and a day to write it. Let me know what you thought!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little note before we get started... For the purposes of this story, I am deviating a bit from canon when it comes to Peter Hale. He will actually be a lot closer to Talia's age in this story than to Derek's.

The week following the honeymoon was a whirlwind. Stiles had plenty of stuff to do for his Orphanage and Derek had state meetings to attend, however the time spent away from one another felt different this time. It was no longer a relief. Stiles was sitting at his desk after Derek's third day in the Capital when he realized that he actually  _missed_  him. He pulled out his phone and texted one simple message. "I _ you."

It had become their new thing. Both agreed that they didn't feel love. But they felt  _something_. Neither could name it. The word 'fondness' came close, but still didn't quite accurately describe it.

On the fourth day, Derek was supposed to come home. He did, but Stiles wasn't in the Orphanage. Isaac was in the den watching TV. "Do you know where Stiles is?" he asked.

"I think he might be outside… he was really upset earlier," Isaac replied, not looking away from the TV.

"Do you know what about?" Derek asked. Isaac shrugged. "And how are you doing, kid?"

"I'm alright… and I'll be more than happy to discuss it in detail when this show is over," Isaac said.

Derek chuckled. "Alright. I look forward to hearing it." He headed outside, using his abilities to quickly find Stiles. It didn't take long. He was sitting on a swing, Ana standing on his lap. The two were talking. Even though he knew he shouldn't have, Derek focused his hearing.

"What if they don't make me sandwiches?" Ana asked.

"I've already talked to them about that… they'll  _definitely_  be making sandwiches for you," Stiles replied.

"But they won't be  _your_  sandwiches," Ana pouted.

"They'll still be made by people who love you," Stiles said. Derek could tell that his voice was straining.

"I don't want to leave you," Ana said. Her voice trembled in a way that told Derek she had begun to cry.

"An orphanage is no place to grow up, Ana. You deserve a family," Stiles told her.

Ana was now fully crying and Derek could tell that Stiles was trying not to. "But you're my family, Stiles… Will I be able to see you again?"

"Of course," Stiles replied. Derek heard his heartbeat jump. In truth, Stiles had no idea if he'd ever see Ana again when she walked out of the orphanage the next day in the arms of her new parents.

"I love you, Stiles," Ana said, flinging herself forward and hugging him tightly.

"I love you too," Stiles replied, squeezing her back. Derek slowly walked toward them and Stiles finally saw him. After a few moments, Stiles patted Ana's back and told her to start packing her things. "I'll be up to help you in a few minutes."

Ana nodded and wiped her eyes before climbing off Stiles' lap and walking back toward the Orphanage. "Hi, Mr. Douche," she said sullenly.

"Hi Ana," Derek replied, smiling. He sat at the swing beside his husband. "It's obvious you're not okay. But do you want to talk?"

"I'm not sure I can," Stiles replied honestly. "Because the only thing I have to say make me the most horrible person who has ever lived."

"Then say it to me," Derek said. "I won't judge you. I'll simply listen and then offer you a shoulder to cry on and a hug if you want one."

"It's my job to find them loving homes… to want what's best for them," Stiles said. "But I don't want her to leave… and I know that it makes me completely terrible."

"It doesn't, though," Derek replied. "It just means that you love them. You love them unconditionally. Like a parent would."

"I'm not their parent," Stiles said.

"For right now, you are," Derek told him, placing a comforting hand on Stiles' knee. That was all Stiles needed: permission to feel the emotions he was actually feeling. He finally let it go as tears streamed down his face. He turned toward Derek who wrapped his arms around his husband and let him cry for as long as he needed. And finally, they walked back to the main building, their fingers interlaced.

* * *

The next day, Derek smelled like Stiles. Talia noticed it immediately. Talia also noticed something different about her son. He seemed to stand taller and walk more proudly than normal. He had always been a proud Wolf… but he rarely ever took charge of situations the way he had begun to after the honeymoon.

"You're glowing," she noted to him as they sat down at the table, awaiting the board members of  _The Hale Harvest_  to show up.

Since she had been uninterested in his happiness before the wedding took place, Derek felt little inclination to share it with her now that he was actually married to Stiles. "You know how our instincts work when a Wolf becomes monogamous with someone. It's basic biology for us. Nothing more," he replied dismissively. But she was right. He was growing to really care about Stiles. "And besides… this meeting isn't a just-for-fun meeting, mom. There's a reason why I asked for all of the members of the board to be here on such short notice. As well as the Queen."

"I thought it was strange that you didn't even want to  _talk_  about the coronation or the title that Stiles will get," Talia replied.

"As long as it isn't Modesto, I don't care," Derek said. "Just… don't give him Sacramento."

"Why?"

"He doesn't know about Uncle Peter yet," Derek murmured as the human board members began filing in.

_The Hale Harvest_  was the largest charitable organization in the Territory. In its infancy, Derek had maintained tight control of the reigns, but as his position as the heir to the Alpha, and then the subsequent engagement and all publicity associated with it drew his attention away, it seemed that many of the board members had lost sight of the mission his organization had. He was able to see reports that showed that a scant 25% of each dollar raised went to perform the tasks that he had set the organization to do. He intended to expand the scope of the organization within the next several months and it simply wasn't a sustainable goal given the fact that the Board, without his permission, had been skimming funds away to instead provide lavish salaries.

When everyone was seated, Derek began the meeting. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Don't get too settled in, I suspect this meeting will end up being rather quick." His voice held a commanding authority that caught even Talia off guard. She had never seen her son so determined. Nor had she ever seen him hold his cards so close to his chest. "I've worked with this Board for quite some time. I've come to know many of you quite well and have even come to consider some of you to be family. Four of you were at my wedding. Which is why I find these reports so interesting." Derek threw the stack of papers into the center of the table. "So we're going to go around the room and you each have five syllables in which to defend the extraordinarily generous six figure salaries you've taken it upon yourselves to grant while I trusted you to run the organization because I was handling other endeavors, given my position as the Prince. Charles, we'll start with you."

The man Derek pointed out began sweating nervously. He looked around at his fellow Board Members, all of whom glanced away. "Your Highness, I…" he stammered.

"That's four… You have one more syllable. Choose wisely," Derek snapped.

"I'm sorry," Charles sputtered.

"And that's seven syllables. You're fired. I want you out of this building within the next two minutes and if you aren't, I'll have security escort you out. You're lucky I'm not pressing charges. I would have every right to, considering what you did is both Petit and High Treason, the punishment for which is execution," Derek said. Talia shifted nervously. She didn't like seeing her son like this. Charles made a bee-line for the door, even forgetting his belongings. When he turned around to grab them, Derek flashed his blue eyes and growled menacingly. Charles believed it prudent to simply leave them and get as far away from Derek as possible. "I entrusted this organization to you. I trusted you all to uphold the mission of the organization and to help those affected by the Hunters War, not to help your bank accounts! So imagine my surprise when I look at our numbers to see how feasible it would be to create a new branch to help people deal with post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by the War and to then see that there's practically no money whatsoever because the board voted to increase their pay by more than a thousand percent!" The more Derek spoke, the angrier he got and the louder his voice boomed, rising to the point where the windows shook.

Talia stood up. "Derek, calm yourself!" she ordered.

Even though she didn't flash her eyes, she didn't need to. It was an order from his Alpha. He took several deep, cleansing breaths—just like Stiles had taught him to do—and returned to addressing the people he was about to fire. Talia could hear the calmer, steadier heartbeat in her son's chest and sat back down. "It looks like I just freed up quite a bit of our finances. I want you all to know that you are fired effective immediately and you are to pay back all money received in excess of that  _I_ approved for you and if you don't think that I'll be accounting for every single cent, you had better guess again."

Talia had never inserted herself into Derek's charity, which is why she found it odd that he asked her to be at this meeting. She wasn't a board member. Suddenly, however, the reason for her presence was crystal clear to her. Since her son wasn't a reigning monarch yet, his influence paled in comparison to hers, which is why when one of the remaining board members stood up and demanded to know on whose authority, she put her faith in her son's judgment and stood back up again. Her eyes burned the fiery red of an Alpha's as she said, "The Queen's."

When they had the room again, Derek thanked her. "I'm going to be able to do some real good with this money," he told her. "Stiles wants me to make the announcement at his coronation."

"You know that there is little I wouldn't do for you, Derek… but I don't appreciate having my authority used when I have no idea why," Talia replied. "What are you planning?"

"I promised my husband we would keep it a secret until everyone could hear it… at the coronation. It's only a few days away. You can wait until then. Besides, I don't think you'd believe me if I told you," he replied.

"What's happening to you, Derek?" Talia asked. "You were never this cold before. You and I were always so close… it was Cora who went through the cold, rebellious stage."

"Is it too much to ask that my husband and I have at least some things that remain between us?" Derek snapped. "After all,  _you_  were the one who wanted us to get married. My wolf instincts kicked in. I've become somewhat fond of him and I think he's starting to feel the same way. We're fulfilling our vows and helping each other in ways we never even expected to need help and it's helping me to finally become the person that  _I_  want to be. Not the person everyone expects me to be." He turned and headed toward the door.

Talia regarded her son with an unreadable look on her face. Never before had she ever had trouble figuring out what was going on in his head. "Derek… you don't have to shut me out."

Derek paused. "Wait… you don't like decisions that affect you being made without your input? Imagine that."

"That is not the way you speak to your—" Talia began.

"Alpha?"

"I was going to say 'mother' but either works. We are not just family, Derek. We're Pack. That's more powerful than any family bonds. You have to know that if something is truly bothering you, you can come to me about it," Talia told him. "I'm glad you and Stiles are getting along, but I don't want it to be at the expense of our relationship. Please tell me what's going on."

Heaving a sigh, Derek turned around to look at his mother. "If I told you that I think Dad would be proud of the decision I made, would it be enough for you to trust me enough to wait until the coronation?"

Talia nodded. "I know it's my fault, you know."

"What do you mean?" Derek asked.

"The rift between us," Talia answered. "It's my fault. I'll work hard to fix it. But I need help on your end."

"It will take time," he replied. "But now I need to get home. My husband has dinner ready for me."

* * *

The coronation was a much grander affair than either Stiles or Derek imagined. Stiles knew that he needed to take the Hale name in order to be considered a fully-fledged member of the Pack. Derek stood in front of him, adjusting his tie. "You look good," he said.

"Thanks. Are you ready?" Stiles replied.

Derek was nervous, but nodded. "Thank you for letting me make the announcement today."

"You're going to do a lot of good. I'm excited for you, Derek," Stiles replied.

Talia popped her head into the room. "We're ready to start," she announced.

"We'll be right out," Derek replied. Talia left and Derek looked back at his husband. "Are you ready to be crowned?"

"It's Modesto… I could wait the rest of my life," Stiles replied with a chuckle. They left the room and headed into the hall where members of the press, the Human Leadership, and every Alpha of the Territory were gathered. The Alphas were seated at the front, since they played a special role in the course of the coronation. Talia stood at the end of the long walkway. Behind her, Stiles saw his dad and Cora, but there were several more unfilled seats. He knew that one was meant for Laura and the other was meant for Derek's father, but had no idea who the last seat would have belonged to, since Derek was to stand at his side throughout the entire event.

"Now entering the room, Prince Derek Hale and Lord Stanisław Stilinski," a man announced. Everyone rose to their feet, bowing as Stiles and Derek passed by. Both men stared straight ahead, marching forward with regal bearings.

When they reached Talia, she gave permission for everyone to be seated after stepping to the microphone. Stiles stood to her right and Derek right behind him. "The Hale Pack has an ancient lineage and a sacred duty to protect the people who have lived near wherever we have been. We can trace our ancestry back for as long as there have been werewolves, all the way to Lycoan. Our Pack is one of the largest in the world and today, we are adding a new member. Stiles, do you swear to protect the people of the Territory and to fulfill the duties of the Hale Pack as prescribed by tradition?"

"I do," Stiles replied.

"Do you swear to uphold the law and ensure justice and freedom to the People of the Territory, doing so while acting in the name of the Hale Pack?" Talia asked.

"I do." Knowing that this was his cue, Stiles knelt down at her feet.

"Then I, Talia Hale, Queen of the Territory of California and Alpha of the Hale Pack strip you of the title and name of Lord Stanisław Stilinski. From now on, you will be known as His Royal Highness, Prince Stanisław Hale of San Francisco," she said, placing the crown on Stiles head and then beckoned him to stand. "Would the Alphas of the territory please rise in recognition of the Prince."

Stiles watched as all of the Alphas stood and bowed to him before sitting down. Talia stood aside allowing Stiles to approach the microphone. "Customarily, this is the point where I would make some sort of speech about how I intend to uphold the vows I just took. But I've taken these vows before. I was young when I did, but they still weigh on me and impact my work with my Orphanage. I'm, instead, going to donate this time to my husband to permit him to make an announcement."

There was some confusion, but Stiles smiled brightly as Derek took his spot. "I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing him called 'Stanisław Hale' To me, he'll always be Stiles," Derek said. The crowd responded with a combination of chuckles and awe. "Though the War ended a decade ago, many people still live in it every single day, often paralyzed by fear by memories triggered during the most mundane activities that many of you do every single day. It's called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and for the people who live with it, it can rob them of their ability to live full and meaningful lives. I should know… because for a very long time, I've suffered from it. I never told anyone about it because I was scared that I would be seen as weak or a coward." He glanced over at Stiles, the beginnings of a smile turning the corners of his mouth. "But I finally found someone who gave me the courage to understand what was going on and helped me to find help. But not everyone who has PTSD is married to my husband. That is why I'm announcing today that my charity,  _The Hale Harvest_  is going to begin offering free treatment to those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  _The Hale Harvest_  has always aimed to help people rebuild their lives, but before now we only focused on replacing physical things. But no amount of money or property is going to help when a thunderstorm can trigger crippling anxiety and fear. Instead of the customary gifts that would be given to Stiles to mark this day, we ask that you instead donate toward this cause and help us begin to  _truly_  heal the Territory. Thank you."

Stiles felt very proud of Derek for making his announcement. He hugged him tightly, kissing him, perhaps more passionately than he intended. The crowd applauded Derek's courage and when he separated from Stiles, Talia pulled her son in for a tight hug. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea," she whispered in his ear.

"It's alright," he replied.

When all was said and done, they had collected more than $200,000 to help with the start of the new project and several Alphas had sworn more in the upcoming months.

When they were finally alone, Stiles was able to ask Derek how he was doing. "Well I can't wait to see what Lauren Williams will have to say about it all."

"We'll handle Lauren," Stiles replied. He waited for several minutes before finally asking what was on his mind. "Who was the third empty chair for?"

Derek froze. "I…" he started. "It's…. uh…"

"Did I overstep?" Stiles asked.

"No," Derek replied. "But it's kind of a painful memory because…"

"It's alright," Stiles interrupted. "If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

Derek shook his head. "Honestly, it's about time you knew. Just bear with me. It's painful because it's the reason why my eyes are blue."

* * *

" _Derek… wake up…"_

" _Laura?" Derek's voice was groggy as he pushed himself up. His bed was warm and comfortable. He didn't want to leave it unless he absolutely had to._

" _Derek you have to get up! The Argents are coming. We have to leave!" Laura insisted, shaking him again._

_There was only one name that could put fear in Derek. His eyes flashed bright gold when he heard it and instantly he was wide-awake. "I just need a moment to grab some clothes."_

" _We're going to the root cellar near the Nemeton. Mom is sending Deaton to protect us. I'm going to leave with Cora and get her as far away as possible. Catch up to us," Laura told him. As she moved away, Derek grabbed her arm, pulling her into a tight hug._

" _Please be careful," he told her._

" _You as well. I'll see you in a few minutes," Laura replied, squeezing him back before leaving the room._

_Derek didn't need to turn on the light. He just switched to his wolf vision and pulled on jeans and a shirt. He didn't worry about shoes. He ran downstairs where he heard his mom, dad, and uncle talking in the dining room. "Deucalion and Kali are on their way. Ennis is refusing to fight," he heard his father say._

" _Ennis has already lost too many of his own. I don't blame him," Talia replied. "But Peter… I need to know now. Did you do anything to incite Gerard's anger?"_

" _Talia I swear! You know how he is… He hates us because we were born!" Peter insisted._

_Derek wanted to run up to his parents and beg them to come hide with him… or at the very least, say goodbye, but he didn't. He didn't want his mother to know that Laura had let him fall behind so he bolted out the door, quickly catching his sisters' scents and speeding up. He caught them only moments before they were ushered into the root cellar by Dr. Deaton. "Derek! Thank God you got here…"_

" _Why is Gerard attacking?" Derek asked._

" _Who knows?" Deaton replied. "But your mother is going to take care of it."_

" _Deucalion and Kali are coming to help," Derek said. "I heard Mom talking to Dad and Uncle Peter before I left."_

" _If Deucalion's and Kali's packs are coming, then you should have nothing to worry about," Deaton told the three Hale children._

" _You two should probably get some sleep," Laura said. "You have a test tomorrow, Derek… and I don't think your teacher will take 'My werewolf family was attacked by a group of Hunters' as an excuse."_

" _Why not? Remember that time I used 'my sister ate my homework'?" Derek replied, eliciting a chuckle from his sisters._

" _I'm serious you two… Dr. Deaton and I will keep watch. Get some rest," Laura ordered. She had a higher rank in the pack so Derek felt the weight of her command and his eyelids became heavy. Cora moved closer to him and he wrapped his arms protectively around her. Derek heard Cora's breathing slowly change. He was still too nervous about the fight to actually sleep. He focused his hearing. Miles away he could hear gunshots and crossbows. There were screams and shouting. It went on for hours. Dawn was approaching when they felt it. There was a sudden drop in their power and a searing pain in their chests. Derek had just drifted off. Cora woke in his arms with a start. They both looked fearfully to Laura._

" _What is it?" Deaton asked._

" _Someone died," Laura said, choking back tears._

" _Who?" Cora asked, beginning to cry. Derek felt the tears welling in his eyes as well, but did his best to hold them back, wanting to be strong for her. He looked to Laura for strength and reassurance that everything was going to be alright._

_Laura dropped to her knees, bunching close with Derek and Cora. "I don't know… but we'll be fine."_

_It was several more hours before Kali came to the root cellar. "Alan!" she exclaimed, embracing the Emissary before looking at the three Hale children, huddled together. "Talia sent me to get them."_

" _She survived…" Deaton breathed, shaking with his joy._

" _Yes," Kali replied. "Deucalion lost several Betas. My pack was lucky… but Stefan…"_

" _Dad?" Derek choked. "No…"_

_Derek felt numb. He couldn't remember what the last words he said to his father had been. Kali walked with them, though each were spaced apart. Laura shifted into her wolf form and stayed several paces ahead of them. He wished he could have at least said goodbye… or 'I love you.'_

_The Hale Mansion normally smelled of patchouli and sandalwood. But the stench of death overwhelmed the spacious home. Derek smelled his father everywhere. Talia was there to greet her children, her eyes red from crying. "Mom… can't you do something?" Derek pleaded. "Is there something we can do to revive him?"_

" _I wish I could," Talia replied. "I really do." She wrapped her arms around Derek. "Your father loved each of you. He was so proud of each of you… as am I."_

_Derek locked himself in his room. He didn't eat or sleep. He only left his room to sneak into his parents' and steal the leather jacket his father always wore. Derek had given it to him as a present during the Wolf Moon celebration when he was 7. He had saved up his allowance for nearly a year. His father loved it. Derek put it on and sat in his bed, his knees drawn up to his chest, crying, inhaling his father's scent and hoping to commit it to memory. His father had been happy the last time he wore the jacket. At least Derek knew that._

_The next day, everyone gathered in the woods behind the Hale house. Werewolf funeral rituals required the body be cremated to ensure that the Hunters couldn't desecrate the remains. The scent of his father's burning corps became etched into his mind. Derek stared at the dancing flames for as long as he could bear before he shifted from anger. He tried to shift back, but couldn't. He turned around and bolted into the woods. Laura and Talia called after him, but they both knew that nothing they could say would help._

" _I'll go talk to him," Peter offered._

" _Just be gentle with him," Talia ordered. "He was so close to his dad and he's taking this so hard."_

_Derek still had the coat on and was furiously scratching into a tree. He could feel control slipping away from him. "Alpha… beta… omega…" he kept repeating. "Alpha… beta… omega…"_

" _It isn't going to work, Derek," Peter said. "You have too much rage. I could smell it a league away from you."_

" _It's not fair," Derek cried._

" _You're right. Your father was a good Wolf," Peter said. "And his death is going to go unavenged…"_

_Derek glared at Peter, his eyes shining gold in his fury. "What do you mean?"_

" _I saw who killed your father. She's still alive, Derek. But your mother doesn't think we should go after her," Peter said, circling around his nephew. "I just think that we shouldn't sit around waiting for them to just kills us in our sleep."_

" _No!" Derek yelled. "She doesn't get to live when my father died… He didn't do anything wrong! They broke the Code!"_

" _They don't care about the code, Derek. They only care about killing us. We've played by the rules long enough. Look where it's gotten us… Stefan is dead. Allard and Luka died last night too. The Argents are going to kill us all unless we act first," Peter said._

" _But mom said not to… and she's the Alpha," Derek said weakly._

_Peter finally stopped circling Derek and crouched low enough to be eye-level to him. "Derek… can you keep a secret?"_

_Derek nodded._

" _Talia isn't the only Hale who's an Alpha now," Peter replied. He flashed his eyes bright red._

_Derek was not impressed. In fact, he was repulsed. "You stole the power… you killed one of our kind…" he snarled. "You're just like_ _**them** _ _!"_

" _No… it was given to me by an Alpha who was already dying," Peter assured his nephew. "And I know where to find the woman who killed your father. I know exactly where Kate Argent is. But I think you should be the one to do it."_

" _Take me to her," Derek demanded. His angered clawing at the tree stopped. Instead, he took the claw of his right index finger and drew one large spiral. Peter watched as a smirk crossed his lips._

" _You aren't ready yet, Derek, but I can teach you a new way to control yourself… to be more powerful than you ever thought possible. Accept me as your Alpha and I'll teach you everything you need to ensure that you never feel this loss and pain ever again," Peter said into his nephew's ear._

" _But wouldn't I be betraying Mom?"_

" _No you're not… you're protecting her," Peter told him._

_That was all Derek needed to hear. Peter brought him to one of the Hale safe houses. Derek still couldn't shift back. He hadn't had this problem since he was little. "How do I control it?"_

" _The anger inside you… stop fighting it. It's just as much a part of you as your claws and fangs. It's who you are," Peter told him._

" _I can't!" Derek roared._

" _Because you still believe the lies your mother placed in your head. We are violent, blood-thirsty creatures. It's in our blood. The Beast of Gevaudan? He was a Hale ancestor and he slaughtered the weak. Stop fighting the rage… contain it, yes…" Peter put his hand over Derek's heart. "Hold it here. Store it until you need it…"_

_It took him several days to master his new control trigger, but soon he could summon the rage he needed at a moment's notice. "I'm ready," he told his uncle. Peter agreed._

_He led them to an abandoned distillery. Peter slid the door open. Once again, Derek's senses were assaulted by the distinct odor of death. About a dozen hunters lay on the floor in pools of their own blood. Kate Argent was there, her blonde hair catching the rays of sunlight that filtered in through the window. Derek shifted, unable to control his rage. "All of these are hunters. They were going to kill your sisters and you. I bit them so they had to take their own lives. But I saved this one for you."_

_The woman was beautiful… stunning, even. But Derek could feel nothing for her but hate. "You killed my dad…" Derek growled as he slowly approached her._

" _I didn't, little pup," she replied, cocking her head as she watched his claws extend. "But I should have. I should have burned your house to the ground when I had the chance."_

" _Why did you kill him?" Derek demanded. "He did_ _ **nothing**_ _to you!"_

" _I told you… I. Didn't. Do. It."_

" _I don't believe you!" Derek shouted. "You killed my dad for no reason!" He swiped at her face with his claws, She tried to move away, but couldn't. Four large gashes began seeping crimson blood. She screamed in pain. Derek slashed at her again, this time tearing open her throat. More of her blood coated him and Derek felt it. It was an impossible feeling for him to describe, given all of the other things that he was already feeling… Grief… Anger… Despair… Loneliness… It felt as though a part of him had been taken. He looked at his reflection in one of the large metal distillery containers. The bright gold eyes he was used to seeing weren't the ones reflected back to him. Instead, they were cold and blue. The sight of them made Derek's very bones feel like ice._

_She had been innocent._

" _Peter! What have you done?" Derek heard his mother's voice._

_Derek squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hide them from her. He felt so ashamed. "Mom… I'm sorry," he cried. "Uncle Peter told me she killed dad… I just wanted to avenge him… I'm so sorry…"_

" _It's alright," Talia told him, wrapping her arms around him. "I don't blame you."_

" _They aren't following the Code anymore, Talia. Neither should we," Peter challenged._

" _I told you not to instigate things further with the Argents. You disobeyed me and… you turned my son into a killer. He was just a boy!" Talia roared._

" _And now he's a man!" Peter retorted. "They killed three of ours so I made sure they felt that pain four-fold! You've been holding us all back, Talia. Especially him. I showed him what true power really feels like. I gave him the opportunity to follow an Alpha who won't stand for injustice and won't back down from a threat."_

" _He was to be the next True Alpha, Peter… and you stole that from him!" Talia shot back. "Just like you stole your Alpha powers." Peter froze. "Yeah. I know about that, too. You betrayed our family. You wanted to teach Derek a lesson in ruthlessness… Fine. Leave. Leave my pack… leave this State… I don't even want you on the same continent as Derek. And if I catch so much as a whiff of you anywhere near me or my children again… There won't be a piece of you left that's big enough for us to burn on your funeral pyre. How is that for ruthlessness?"_

" _Talia…" Peter stammered. "I'm your brother._

" _Which is the only reason why I'm giving you a chance to escape," Talia sad as she flashed her eyes red and extended her claws. "I said to go."_

_When Derek could no longer hear Peter, he finally opened his eyes. "How far do you want_ _**me** _ _to go?" he asked, fearful of the answer._

" _What do you mean?" Talia asked him._

" _I'm a killer… now everyone can see that. I can't go back home…" Derek sobbed. He had just lost his father, now he had to say goodbye to his sisters and mother._

_Derek stared at the floor, his hands hung limply by his side, Kate's blood still dripping off of them. "My sweet boy," Talia whispered, kissing the top of his head. "Your uncle lied to you and manipulated the emotions of a grieving child. He robbed you of a very special gift… nobody can fault you for that. And your sisters and I just lost your father. I don't think we can stand to lose you, too."_

" _But the Hunters are going to come after me now… if I go home, I'll be putting all of you in danger," Derek insisted. "I can't live with that guilt…"_

" _And I can't live without you. Neither can they. We'll protect you, Derek," Talia assured him._

" _What if I become just like Uncle Peter?" Derek asked._

" _I can take the memories away from you, if you want," Talia offered._

_Derek shook his head. "No. I don't ever want to forget this… I don't ever want to forget how awful it felt."_

" _You feel remorse," Talia noted. "Which means you'll never turn out like your uncle."_

* * *

"Gerard found out about Kate and decided to eradicate my kind once and for all," Derek told Stiles. "He outed the Werewolves and started his War."

"You're not responsible for the war, Derek," Stiles said. He could already see the logical conclusion Derek had come to.

"But I am. If I hadn't listened to my uncle… if I hadn't killed Kate, I would have been my generation's True Alpha… not Scott McCall. And the Hunters War would never have happened. I've lived with this guilt for pretty much my whole life, which is why when the nightmares and terrors happened after the war… I figured it was the price I had to pay for what I had done," Derek replied.

"Your Uncle caused this, Derek," Stiles insisted. "Not you. He shouldn't have been allowed to live."

"He wasn't," Derek said softly. "He didn't follow my mom's warning. When we won, he came back, demanding to be named Prince of Sacramento. He said it was his birthright as a Hale to be among the royals. Mom made good on her promise, though. She tore him apart. It was the first time I was ever truly scared of her."

"Your mother can be quite intimidating," Stiles chuckled.

"For years I tried and failed to understand why she did the things she did," Derek admitted. "So I want to thank you…"

"For what?" Stiles asked as he pulled his car into his space at the orphanage.

"Watching you with your kids has shown me what unconditional love is. What my mom did to protect me was hard. She should have banished me like she did my uncle, but she didn't. She knew I needed her more than ever… and after the engagement I was so awful to her," Derek said regretfully. "But she only wanted what was best for me."

"How is being married to someone you don't love what's best for you?" Stiles asked.

Derek sighed. He chose his words carefully, looking at Stiles. They almost became caught in his throat before they managed to escape. "Because I'm not. I see that now."

"Derek I…" Stiles began.

"I know you don't feel that way about me yet and I'm alright with that. But I thought you needed to know that I do. I love you, Stiles," he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So I hope you really liked this chapter! There were a couple of scenes in it that I've been chomping at the bit to finally be able to write! Please let me know what you thought of the chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

Derek closed his eyes and leaned in and Stiles recognized it as the obvious beginnings of a kiss and he backed away, opening the door. The light on the ceiling of his car came on and Derek's eyes sprung open, filled with hurt. Stiles felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Derek. I'm just… I'm not  _there_  yet."

Derek fought hard to keep tears from coming to his eyes because he knew Stiles had told the truth. He had never felt more vulnerable or emotionally raw… or humiliated. The fight became too much and the first tear came forth, followed by another… then another until the tears were cascading down his face. He turned away from Stiles, not wanting to show his weakness. Stiles put his hand on Derek's shoulder. "I like you, Derek. Which I never thought I'd be capable of doing. For so long I hated you so much… and there was once a time when I would have gotten a lot of joy from seeing you like this, but I've changed. The fact that you're hurting right now hurts me… and I care about you too much to lie to you. What I feel for you isn't love just yet. I need a bit more time. I'll get there eventually, though. Don't give up on me."

"Can you just leave me alone for a bit?" Derek asked through choked sobs. Stiles agreed and got out of the car after apologizing one more time. After a lingering glance and an attempt to search for anything he could say to make Derek feel better, he came up empty and headed into the orphanage. He felt awful, but he had nobody he could talk to about it.

As he walked through the orphanage, he noticed Isaac in the den, pretending to read a book. Stiles watched him for a while, noticing that his eyes remained steadily fixated on the same spot. The book shook a bit in his hands as he held it. Stiles decided that since he broke the heart of one person, he should do his best to mend the heart of another and sat beside him.

Isaac pretended not to notice and continued staring at the same word. "I always find that the plot tends to get more interesting when I turn the page," Stiles said, breaking the silence.

"Sometimes when you turn the page, things get worse," Isaac said softly. Stiles could already hear the indicator that he was on the verge of tears, too.

He knew what this was about, too. Ana's adoption had been a poignant reminder of a truth that Isaac had taken to heart. Young and cute gets adopted. Stiles tried his best to comfort him. "I've told you… you won't age out of the system."

"And I've told you that I am too old to be adopted by anyone," Isaac said sharply. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop getting my hopes up from now on."

"Isaac… when I tell you about a new family who wants you, it's not to get your hopes up…" Stiles started.

"Save it," Isaac said, getting to his feet. "I'm tired of having my heart ripped out of my chest."

"Isaac wait," Stiles said, moving to follow him.

"No. Stop making promises you can't keep!"

Stiles didn't chase after him. He deserved it. He had raised Isaac's hopes too many times. He went to his room, telling those who had tried to grab his attention that he was not feeling well. It wasn't a lie. He felt sick to his stomach. He had disappointed Derek and Isaac and his heart still ached for Ana, whom he had loved like his own daughter.

He slowly stripped off his clothes and showered, making the water as hot as he could stand it, hoping that the red streaks it left as it rolled down his skin could be contrition for how severely he had let down the people around him.

* * *

 

Derek sat in the car for a while before he pulled out his phone. He wished he could talk to Laura, but he couldn't. She was too unstable and it wasn't fair of him to put his troubles on her. Cora was too young. The only other person he had was his mom.

"Derek!" she said brightly upon answering the phone.

"Mom…" Derek said. He struggled to ensure his voice didn't break.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked.

After a pause, Derek said, "If I tell you… do you promise not to tell me to suck it up?"

"Of course," she said. Derek explained what had just happened… how he had bared his soul and told one of his family's deepest and darkest secrets… and then that he loved him. He told her what Stiles said in return, but also that it didn't make him hurt any less. Talia listened patiently. "He needs more time, Derek. I know it hurts, but you can't push him. You two have made such amazing progress."

"I just… I didn't expect it to hurt so much, Mom," Derek said softly.

"I know. But mark my words… Before the year is over, he will tell you he loves you," Talia promised.

"I want him to mean it," Derek said.

"He will," Talia told her son. "But in his own time. It wasn't that long ago that getting you two in the same room was a struggle."

"But what do I do now?" he asked. "I just poured my heart out to him and he told me he doesn't feel the same way."

"Earn his love," she replied. "Tonight, perhaps you should both have some space. Don't bring it up again. Don't throw the word in his face. It's one thing to say you love someone. It's another entirely to show it. That's how you'll get it."

"We share a bed, mom," Derek said doubtfully. "What if he brings it up?"

"Then be honest with him. He may have questions. He may impose a moratorium on discussing it," she said. "Your father was the first to say it when we first married and it took me months to feel the same way, even with our mating instincts."

"But you're an Alpha," Derek sighed.

"And one day, you will be too," Talia replied.

Derek was silent for several minutes. Finally he thanked his mom for helping him. She told him that she loved him and how proud she was of him before they both hung up.

He went inside. The staff members bowed as he passed, despite the fact that he had already told them they didn't need to do that. Stiles was still in the bathroom when entered the bathroom. He joined his husband beneath the scalding spray. One look at the human and Derek could tell that he had been crying. Not saying a word, he just wrapped his powerful arms around him and held him tightly.

"I feel like I let you down or something," Stiles admitted, relishing the comfort of the tight squeeze Derek was giving him.

"We're both new to this," Derek told him. "Our relationship has put a lot of pressure on both of us. I'm sorry I only added to that pressure."

Stiles rested his chin against Derek's shoulder and stared at the wall behind his husband. He loved the feel of their bare skin touching as the hot water ran off both of them. He loved the way Derek smelled. He loved the strong, yet soft way Derek's mouth felt when they kissed. Truth be told, he loved the way Derek's manhood tasted whenever he took it in his mouth. He loved the way it felt to be inside Derek and he loved the way Derek felt inside him. He had come to love nearly everything about the Werewolf prince, just not Derek himself. It perplexed and frustrated him.

Thinking of all the things he loved about his husband caused his cock to stiffen. As it rose, it rubbed against Derek's, coaxing it to life as well. Stiles pulled his chin off Derek's shoulder and kissed his jaw and reached down to caress their cocks. Derek brought his hands to the sides of Stiles' face, holding it in place as he kissed deeper.

"Fuck me," Stiles whispered when their lips parted. His eyes had been closed, but he opened them to stare into Derek's vivid green ones.

"Are you sure?" Derek asked.

As a response, Stiles crushed his lips against Derek's and used his own tongue to play with Derek's. Stiles became suddenly aware of the restraint Derek had employed as it melted away and he found himself pushed against the shower wall. A hand crept down his spine until fingertips brushed against his opening. Stiles tensed and moaned as the first penetrated him, followed soon by another. His responses seemed to drive Derek further as he was spun around, his face pressed against the tile. He felt Derek's cock resting between his cheeks. Derek pushed against him a bit, causing Stiles' stomach to flutter before he lined himself up and slowly slid in. The burning pressure drove him mad. Derek didn't stop. He just kept pushing until he was all the way inside… just the way Stiles liked him.

"You're so beautiful like this," Derek whispered into his ear.

"With you balls-deep inside me?" Stiles chucked. His voice was thick and heavy as it hit Derek's ear.

As Derek began to thrust, Stiles realized that they weren't using lube. It hurt, but it still felt so fucking good. Still, he wasn't a Werewolf and he couldn't risk getting hurt, so he had to pause their fun until they were out of the shower and had access to a better lubricant than water. It didn't take long, however, before Stiles was lying face-down on his bed and Derek was fucking into him with such vigor and passion that Stiles wondered if the full moon had lasted for two nights instead of just one.

Stiles was able to take barely ten minutes of it before he came and still Derek continued to fuck him, not showing any signs of fatigue. "Stiles…" Derek's voice was strained as he slowed. "I…"

He slammed all the way in. Stiles expected to feel him release, but the sensation never came. He struggled to look back at his partner, whose fangs were bared and eyes were squeezed tightly.

"Are you alright?"

"My wolf wants to claim you…" Derek said. His voice was tense with the obvious strain of trying to hold back the instinct.

"Then let it," Stiles said. He knew what the Werewolf claim meant. Derek would bite his neck or shoulder. He knew it would hurt, but he also knew that there would be no risk of him turning. He also knew that if it happened, Derek would be bonded to him. Any Werewolf would be able to sense the claim. He would be forever marked as belonging to Derek Hale. He knew that humans were, for the most part, immune to the effects of the Mate Claim, but that didn't stop him from hoping that the act would tip his emotions toward the elusive four letter word.

Derek pulled out, flipped Stiles onto his back, and shoved back in, resuming the pace he had been going. Five more minutes passed and Stiles felt his balls tighten before his second orgasm of the night was sprayed all over his stomach and chest. Still Derek continued fucking him. His eyes changed from the pools of deep green to the icy blue glow of a Beta who had killed. The color should have scared him, but Stiles found Derek's blue eyes to be beautiful. Blue had always been his favorite color.

The fangs re-emerged and Derek's face became more wolf-like as he shifted. Stiles watched as his muscles became more pronounced. Though it was moving continuously inside him, he even thought that he felt Derek's cock get larger. It was the first time Derek had ever fucked him while in-shift. Stiles thought it was the most magnificent thing he'd ever seen. For another half-hour, Derek continued to fuck him, lost in his lustful frenzy. As his pace became ragged, he managed to warn Stiles. "I think I'm going to knot…" the words sounded so unlike his husband, spoken through his fangs. His voice was deeper and entirely unhuman.

Stiles felt nervous. He had heard that Werewolf knots were large, they hurt, and they could take hours to fade. Stiles had to trust Derek. "Go ahead," he found himself saying.

Derek let out a roar as his neck craned down and his teeth punctured the skin above Stiles' left clavicle. As Stiles cried out from the pain of the fangs, Derek forced the knot in. The sudden sharp pain caused the scream to get caught in his throat. Rope after rope of hot semen began filling him. Nothing prepared him for the pain. Stiles fought to keep tears from forming in his eyes. Derek was covered in sweat as he pulled his teeth out of Stiles' shoulder. They were stained with his blood.

Most of Derek's body faded back to human. The knot, however did not. "I'm so sorry," Derek managed. Stiles could tell how physically drained he was. He could barely support his own weight. "The first time a Werewolf knots is the most intense… it's the largest knot and it takes the longest to go down."

"It's alright," Stiles said. The pain was slowly fading.

Derek could no longer even support his own weight and collapsed onto Stiles. "I just exhausted my wolf or I'd draw the pain off for you."

"It's alright," Stiles repeated. The two of them fell asleep like that, both drained from the sex. When Stiles woke several hours later, the knot was still solidly planted inside him, but he didn't mind. It felt satisfying, and when he woke up again a few more hours later to find that Derek's knot had faded and his cock had slipped out, he felt incomplete. Derek's naked body was pressed tightly against his and his protective arms were surrounding him, holding him tightly in place. He smiled as he faded back into slumber.

* * *

When the new dormitory wing opened the following month, Stiles felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. He had placed several children in the meantime and there were enough rooms for most children to be able to have their own bedroom for the first time in a very long time. Derek had insisted on marking the occasion by taking all of the kids to the store and allowing them each $250 in which to buy decorations. Scott, Kira, Talia, Cora, and even Stiles' father came over and helped them oversee the process of putting up the decorations in the various rooms.

When they hung the last poster, a woman Stiles barely recognized walked in. "It's crooked," she said gruffly.

Her eyes were wild and unfocused. Her hair was thick and dark like the Hales', but was shoulder-length. "Laura, you should sit down," Derek said, trying to steer her out of the room. He made it a point to physically place himself between her and Stiles.

It wasn't until Derek said her name that Stiles realized he was looking at his other sister-in-law. "You're not the Alpha yet!" she snapped.

"But I am," Talia said, appearing almost out of nowhere. "You said you'd behave if you came."

"I wanted to meet my brother-in-law," Laura said, her eyes raking over Stiles, who moved behind Derek.

Isaac's voice came from down the hall. "Derek! Can you help me with something?"

"I'll be right there," Derek called back, not taking his eyes off his sister. "Be nice to him, Laura."

"I'll stay with Stiles," Talia told him. Stiles had never seen the Queen so on-edge. It seemed that even she was unsure of what her daughter might do.

"So what brings you to my orphanage?" Stiles asked Laura.

"They told me you were human… they never mentioned you being deaf," she growled.

"Laura!" Talia snapped. She turned to Stiles. "Laura insisted on coming to meet you. I told her that you were busy with the new wing, so she decided to come here."

"My darling brother was too busy stealing my place in the pack to bring you to meet me," Laura said venomously.

"One more outburst like that and I'll bring you back home!" Talia warned. She turned to her son-in-law. She could sense the claim that her son had placed on him more than a month ago. Talia feared that Laura's connection with her inner wolf was too severely severed for the mark to offer Stiles any degree of protection. She sensed how nervous Stiles was and did her best to calm him, putting herself where Derek had been. "Please forgive her. She seems to have forgotten her manners."

"It's fine," he said. He'd had several kids come through his orphanage who were prone to lash out violently. He knew how to handle it. "I'm sorry I've kept Derek away for so long."

"I'm not," Talia said. She smiled radiantly at him. "I've honestly never seen him happier." Immediately Stiles flushed. He felt guilty. Talia sensed it and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder… the same one that would forever bear the scars of the puncture wound where Derek had claimed him. "He knows you care about him. I told him that love is complicated and stubborn. Don't worry."

Suddenly Stiles was mortified that Talia knew, though how could he expect her not to? He was part of the Hale pack now.

"I'm going to the car," Laura exclaimed before turning around.

Talia waited until she was out of earshot. "This was the first time she wanted to leave the mansion since her Mate was killed."

"Is she still…" Stiles began to ask, but then realized that his question might be rude and stopped.

"A Werewolf?" Talia finished. Stiles sunk a little, telling her that she was right. "No. She's something between Werewolf and Human. Her senses are a bit better than yours… and she gets even crankier around the full-moon, but other than that, she has no abilities of a Werewolf."

"I'm so sorry," Stiles said. Then he realized that he was now Derek's Mate. "Your Majesty?"

Talia laughed. "I think we're past that now, Stiles. Just call me Talia."

"If something were to happen to me… would Derek become... like Laura?" he asked.

Talia frowned. "It's impossible to say, really. Just as each Werewolf is different, so are their bonds with their respective Mates. Laura and her Mate were so in-sync with one another that they could actually communicate telepathically. When Derek's father and I became a Mated pair, he gained the ability to fully transform, simply because I could. The bond would be stronger if you were a Werewolf, Stiles… but if anything ever happened to you, Derek would be devastated."

"I want so much to love him," Stiles told her. "But I can't."

Talia shrugged. "He loves you enough for the both of you."

Isaac came bursting in. "You've gotta see this, Stiles!"

"I'll be right there," Stiles told him before turning to Talia. "Duty beckons," he said.

"By all means," she said.

Stiles walked down the hall to the room Isaac had claimed. Derek and John were setting up a surround-sound system. The other kids didn't know, but Derek had given Isaac a few extra hundred dollars of spending money in a separate trip. The official story was that Isaac had been saving up money, but the truth was that the two had become inseparable. Stiles noticed often how Isaac looked at Derek. There was so much admiration and respect in each glance that it overwhelmed him at times.

Each word out of Derek's mouth seemed to be a gospel to Isaac.

While John and Derek toiled away, Isaac had set up his X-Box 360. It was one of the few things he had managed to get from his dad's house and Stiles had kept it safe for him. Isaac was so excited as he put in the game. It was a Lacrosse game that Isaac loved. The sound filled the room and Stiles smiled as the saw the grins that formed on the men's faces.

"It's a pretty sweet pad you've set up for yourself," Stiles told him.

"Nobody says 'pad' anymore," Isaac said, rolling his eyes before getting up to hug Stiles. "Thank you," he whispered into his caretaker's ear.

"You're welcome, buddy," Stiles replied.

Isaac's was the largest of the dorm rooms. Stiles had been the one who claimed it for Isaac, knowing how he preferred large spaces. There was a reading nook in the giant window, that made the room seem even more spacious. Isaac had been almost hesitant to accept it, just as he had been hesitant to accept Derek's offer of a second shopping spree, but neither Stiles nor Derek were willing to accept "no" as an answer.

The night was a good one, and as everyone left and the kids got settled into their new bedrooms, each offering privacy that was never before possible, Stiles couldn't stop smiling.

"You look like the Cheshire cat," Derek noted as he crawled into bed next to his husband.

"I'm just really excited," Stiles said. "None of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much." He leaned over and kissed his husband.

As the kiss broke, Derek whispered, "I love you." Stiles remained silent. But this time, his silence didn't hurt. Derek had heard the conversation between his husband and his mother. He was prepared to wait as long as it took to hear those words from Stiles.

* * *

 

"It feels like I'm suffocating. The room closes in around me. Suddenly it's like I'm back with him," Isaac confessed.

"I know what that's like," Derek replied.

Stiles knew he shouldn't be listening. But he couldn't force himself to move. He figured Derek probably knew he was there, but this was a gross invasion of Isaac's privacy, even though it was all things he had been told before.

"I can't believe you'd be afraid of anything," Isaac said.

"No, it's true," Derek said. "During our honeymoon, there was a bad thunderstorm. It sparked a flashback that was so vivid… so real that I forgot that I was supposed to be celebrating my marriage."

"Did Stiles help you?" Isaac asked.

"In more ways than one," Derek said. "I spent a decade living in absolute fear of loud noises. I once had a panic attack from a diesel engine that was too loud. I was always so ashamed of my fear. Stiles not only taught me how to find my way back from the flashbacks, but he also taught me that my fear was something I could try to fix."

"Is that why you started your thing with your charity?" Isaac asked.

"Yeah," Derek said. "What was once my biggest shame became empowering. But Stiles wasn't the only person who inspired me."

"Who else?" Isaac asked.

"You," Derek admitted.

Isaac shook his head. "I'm not brave. I've never done the cool stuff you have."

"You're one of the bravest people I've ever met, Isaac. I'm very proud of you," Derek told the teen.

Isaac didn't know how to take what he'd just said. "Thanks dad," he said. When he realized what had come out of his mouth, he flushed bright crimson. "I'm so sorry… I meant 'Derek'… you're nothing like my dad. I'm so sorry for comparing you to him…"

"It's fine, Isaac," Derek assured him. "I didn't take it to mean you were comparing me to him."

Stiles watched the interaction as tears fell from his eyes. He looked down at the papers in his hands, knowing he shouldn't walk in on their moment, but knowing he needed to talk to Isaac. The family that had been visiting him for the last month had decided to adopt him.

"Alright buddy," Derek said as he moved to his feet. "I need to pack for Sacramento. I'll see you when I get back."

"Do you have to go?" Isaac asked.

"Yeah. I've got to meet with the Alphas of the territory. I'll be back in a few days," Derek promised. "You can kick my ass at virtual lacrosse and it'll be like I never left."

Stiles went swiftly to his office. Isaac was going to be with his new family before Derek came back, but there was no way Derek could miss the upcoming meeting. He busied himself for a few hours and then Derek knocked on the door, Stiles looked up from the adoption agreement he had finished typing up.

"I'm heading out. I was wondering if I could get a kiss goodbye," he said.

As he looked at his husband, he felt it. He got up from his desk and hugged him tightly and gave him the kiss he wanted. He prepared himself to say the words. "Derek… I… I hope you return soon."  _Damnit!_  He scolded himself.  _That's not what I wanted to say! I love you, Derek Hale._

There was a glimmer in Derek's eye, however, that told Stiles that he had been perfectly understood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for being so patient! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! It wasn't beta'd so please excuse any errors. I'll fix them if I happen to notice any. Let me know what you thought!


	9. The one where a lot of things happen

Stiles spent a day trying to figure out how to tell Isaac. The adoption was a sure thing. All the paperwork had been set, the parents-to-be understood Isaac's unique situation and they were excited about welcoming him to their family. He had a judge ready to declare them Isaac's new parents.

But Stiles still had a pit in his stomach. He knew that if he told Derek, he would leave his meeting and head straight home. The Conference of Alphas was far too important for that. He also knew that Derek would be heartbroken when he came home to find that Isaac was gone. He could almost hear his father's voice in his head,  _The Territory is more important than just one person's feelings._  He hated the position he was in. Either way, he would be hurting Derek.

Stiles slept on Derek's side of the bed that night just so that he could smell him. He missed his husband so much it ached. The next morning when the realization that he was alone in the bed first struck him, he felt a stab of pain in his chest. Groggily he sauntered to the bathroom where he stared at the bags under his eyes. Without Derek beside him to cuddle against, he hadn't slept well at all. He couldn't believe how lovesick he was over Derek Hale. He stared at his reflection. "You've gotten soft, Stilinski," he said before remembering that "Stilinski" was no longer his last name. He was a Hale now.

He finished his morning routine and headed down for breakfast, though he barely touched his food. His stomach was still in knots, though whether it was over his predicament with Derek, the fact that Isaac was about to leave, or the fact that he was falling hopelessly headlong in love with Derek, he was not quite sure.

He called Isaac into his office after everyone was finished with their breakfast. "Hey," Isaac said as he stood in the doorway. "I'm sorry I freaked out on you the other day."

"Don't worry about it. I have something important to tell you," Stiles replied. He asked Isaac to shut the door and sit down. When he was seated comfortably, Stiles finally spoke. "I promised you that I wouldn't let you age out of the system… and with less than a year to spare, I've made good on that promise!"

"Really?" Isaac asked. He sounded more skeptical than enthused.

"It's the family that has been visiting with you for the past month or so. They've signed all the necessary paperwork. I can submit it to the courts at any time. I just wanted your input on it," Stiles told him. He hoped that his voice hid the sadness he felt.

Isaac's eyes lit up. "Really?" he repeated, though this time with much more excitement.

"Yeah. Just say the word and by the end of the day, you have a new family," Stiles told him.

Isaac was tripping over his words, but finally managed to say "Of course! I'll start packing now!" and raced off to his room. After a few minutes he came back. "Am I going to be able to say goodbye to Derek?"

Stiles struggled to swallow back the lump forming in his throat. "He may not be back for a few more days."

"I could call him…" Isaac suggested.

Stiles hadn't thought of that. "I'll call him later and break the news to him. He'll take it better from me. Afterwards, you can talk to him."

"This won't be our final goodbye… will it?" Isaac asked hesitantly.

Stiles moved to his feet, opening his arms to offer a comforting hug. "Of course not, Isaac. We'll visit you after you've settled in… and I'll be doing random home visits for a while to make sure everything is alright."

Isaac squeezed tightly and Stiles could tell he was trying not to cry "Thank you so much," he said in a thick voice before returning to his room to pack.

As Stiles turned on the news for background noise as he worked on the final preparations for the upcoming fund raiser, he saw an older male interviewer speaking to Derek. "Your Highness, there are rumors of potential Hunter resurgence that have been spreading since the attack at the park in San Diego," he said. "Are you able to speak about those?"

"Any threat of Hunter resurgence is obviously a high priority for the governments of all three Territories. Lord John Stilinski and I have remained proactive about investigating all possible leads and doing our best to ensure that this Territory has nothing to fear. Hatred and war aren't welcome here anymore," Derek said.

"So none of us should be worried that all of the Alphas are meeting?" the reporter replied suspiciously.

Derek smiled and shook his head. "Not at all. Keeping this communication open by way of meetings allows for us to ensure that the other Alphas of our Territory are as committed to keeping the peace as I am. The Queen and I will not tolerate rogues who subvert the peace and put innocent lives at risk. We're working for a world with less cruelty in it, not more."

"Alright enough about that. Do you mind if I ask you how married life is treating you? We haven't really heard anything from you or your husband, the Prince of San Francisco in quite some time and the people of the territory are dying to know," the interviewer said.

Derek chuckled. His teeth were so white. The front two were a bit large, but Stiles loved them. "I love my husband. It honestly hasn't even really sunk in married to him. Every day I wake up next to him I wonder how I got so lucky. Sometimes I wonder if this is all just a dream." Stiles felt himself blushing. He knew Derek was telling the truth.

The interviewer seemed positively enchanted by the way Derek had spoken about their marriage. "Well I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that I wish you and His Highness the best of luck. You are both an inspiration to all of us!"

Derek thanked him and moved on. Nearly immediately he felt his phone buzz.  **The meeting with the Alphas ended earlier than expected. I'm heading home.**

Stiles' eyes scanned the message several times before he replied.  **How long? I miss you.**

**A few hours tops**

**Can't wait! See you then**

He rushed to Isaac's room to tell him that he'd be able to say his goodbyes to Derek. As he saw the boxes already mostly full of Isaac's belongings, Stiles found himself once again sad to see one of his charges leave. Isaac had been with him for so long. He had grown to really love the kid. He spent the next few hours alone, needing to summon the courage to let Isaac go achieve his happiness.

When Derek arrived home, Stiles hugged him tightly, relishing the feel of him in his arms. Derek took the time to enjoy the hug, and even the kiss that followed it, but Stiles' scent was corrupted by anxiety. "You can stop worrying, Stiles. I'm home now."

"Isaac's getting adopted," Stiles told him.

"Good!" Derek said, though the look in his eyes and the way it sounded coming from his mouth were unconvincing. "I'm gonna miss that kid."

Stiles pulled away from Derek. "There's something else too… It's been eating me up and I feel terrible…"

"What is it?"

"I knew about this a few days ago. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd choose being here over going to your conference.

Derek sighed as he searched Stiles' face. "Please don't keep things from me," he said. "It's not a great way to build trust."

"I'm sorry, Derek," Stiles said. "I just figured sometimes we have to put the Territory before our own wants and desires. It's what our parents would want."

"I know," Derek replied. "But I should still be the one who makes that decision. Just promise me you won't do it again."

"I promise," Stiles ceded and Derek kissed his forehead. The kiss was soft and comforting and combined with the way that he was being held, it made Stiles feel safer and more loved than he had since his mother died. He wondered if this was the right moment to say those three words that had been weighing on him. "I missed you."  _Damn it! Those weren't the ones…_

"I missed you too. I'm going to spend some time with Isaac and then I'll be back to spend some time with you," he said.

Stiles stole one last kiss before returning to his work. It was the only thing that was able to distract him from what was going on.

* * *

Isaac was sitting on his bed. The room was empty now. It hadn't held his touch for very long. "You clean up quickly," Derek said as he entered. Isaac sprang to his feet.

"I have a family!" he blurted out.

"So I've heard," Derek said, doing his best to sound excited for the young man. "I'm so glad I got to know you."

Isaac hugged Derek tightly. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"You have my personal number," Derek told him. "If you ever want to talk, call me. I'll always answer it. I promise."

"Can you promise me something else?" Isaac asked.

"Anything," Derek replied.

"Promise me you'll be there for Stiles. He's going to act like he's happy for me… and deep down, he probably is. But he always gets depressed when one of us leaves… and lately, it's gotten worse. I've never seen him sadder than when Ana left," Isaac told him. "What he really wants is children of his own. He'll never admit it… but it's true. He has us, but we all eventually leave."

"You know I can't give him that," Derek said softly.

Isaac's face sunk. "I really just want him to end up as happy as I am."

"I'll do my best to make sure he's happy," Derek promised.

* * *

Even with 32 children still in the orphanage, it felt empty without Isaac. Stiles distracted himself for a few months with planning the fundraiser.

The day of the event, he was a bundle of nerves. He had warned Derek beforehand, "Anything I say and do in the days and hours leading up to the fund raiser shouldn't be held against me. I'll more than make it up to you when it's over."

So as the guests arrived, Stiles was busier than ever. Derek kept a close eye on him, almost certain he was going to have a total nervous breakdown. Stiles had always refused to use his kids as a prop to get donations, so he didn't make attendance mandatory, and only the children who were older than 13 were even allowed to attend. Some of them did, just to get a bit of the food, but they usually were always back in the main part of the orphanage after the first hour. One year when he had asked Isaac why, the response was so plain it had made him double over laughing. "Grown-ups are incredibly boring."

Derek had never been to the fund raiser before. He had a glass of wine in his hand. After a while, he finally had to go up to Stiles. "Relax!" he said. "Your heart sounds like it's going to come out of your chest!"

"Your mom and Cora are coming…" Stiles said, the panic in his voice made it come out slightly higher than usual.

"You've met them before. Quite a few times, as I remember it… I think they may have even been at our wedding!" Derek said, flashing his smile. "I don't know what the problem is."

"They've never attended  _this_  before," Stiles replied. "What if people don't donate because they're here?"

"Stop worrying. People will still donate," Derek replied.

"I'm serious, Der!" Stiles said. "Literally all of my money is tied up in this place at this point… I have  _nothing_  to cover anything else if there aren't enough donations this year."

Derek stole a kiss from his husband. "Don't worry. Tonight will be the best fund-raiser you've ever had for this place." Stiles wasn't reassured and Derek could still feel the anxiety coming off of him. He decided to throw caution to the wind and suggest something completely reckless. "Do you want to escape with me for just a minute and I could help you relax…" Stiles' eyes tracked along as Derek licked his lips and glanced down.

Stiles grinned. "Uh won't your mom and sister know what you did?"

"You're my husband and I love you," Derek said, closing the distance between them. His mouth was right by Stiles' ear when he added, "And if I want to get on my knees and suck your cock until you don't know your own name, then that's my business."

Stiles placed his hands on Derek's chest. "But I feel like that could also be partly my business…"

"Only insofar as you're the guy getting sucked off," Derek said.

Stiles put his hands on the sides of Derek's face and moved it so he could stare into his husband's eyes. "I love you, Derek."

"You're just saying that because I'm about to give you a blowjob," Derek said, giving a sideways smile and flashing his teeth again.

"No," Stiles replied. "I really love you. When you were gone to the Alphas Conference, I couldn't sleep. I was on your side of the bed, but it still didn't work. I don't want to ever spend a night away from you again. I love you."

Derek leaned forward and kissed Stiles. "I love you too."

* * *

Stiles snuck back into the party. Few people had even noticed he had disappeared. Derek had run up to their room to use a bit of mouthwash. "I can't spend the rest of the night with dick breath," he had joked. And given that Talia and Cora would be there, Stiles was fine with that.

Talia spotted Stiles before he saw her. "Do you mind if I make an announcement?" she asked.

"Certainly, Your Majesty," Stiles said.

Talia smiled at him. "None of that 'Your Majesty' nonsense from you, Stiles… remember?"

"I'm sorry," Stiles replied. "I'm just a little distracted. Tonight is really important."

"I understand," she said before going over to the podium.

Derek appeared at his side, his strong arm snaking around Stiles' waist. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing… except apparently your mother wants to make a…" And then his eyes saw her. As she strode through the crowd, her red hair caught the lights, shimmering like a trail of fire behind her. The green cocktail dress she wore highlighted every gorgeous thing about her body, though not that it needed any help. As she smiled, Stiles felt his stomach tighten, just as he felt Derek's grip tighten as well. "What is she doing here?"

"Who is that?" Derek asked as they both watched her.

Stiles attempted to start his sentence several times, but before he could even figure out which words he wanted to string together, he heard Talia's voice over the sound system. "On behalf of my son-in-law, I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. As we all know, Stiles is dedicated to this orphanage. In fact, when times were hard, he even invested his personal money to keep this place running. However, I want to help him ensure that this orphanage will forever be able to serve the needs of the most vulnerable of our Territory, which is why I am begging you all to donate as much as you possibly can and I will match your donations dollar-for-dollar up to $500,000. Thank you."

Stiles nearly choked. "Did she say five hundred thousand?"

Derek seemed almost as shocked as he was. "Yeah…" he said. "I think she did…" His attention shifted immediately. "Who was that girl?"

"Derek not now," Stiles begged. "Please… let's get through this and then I promise I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"Alright," Derek said stiffly. "I'm going to mingle with guests."

Stiles did the same, heading in the opposite direction. He stopped by the accountant. "How much have we gotten so far?" he asked.

"Two fifty," she replied.

"Only two hundred and fifty dollars?" Stiles asked.

"No," she replied. "Two hundred and fifty thousand. Not including Her Majesty's promise to match."

"Holy shit," Stiles replied, dumbfounded.

"That's more than all of the fund raisers we did while we were together… combined," came a familiar voice. Stiles felt his stomach leap into his chest and every muscle tensed. "Come on, Stiles… Or do I have to call you 'Your Highness' now?"

Stiles turned around. Seeing her up close made his heart race. "Lydia…"

She held her hands out as if to say 'That's me!' and Stiles became suddenly self-conscious of how he should act in the situation. She could tell. "You look good, Stiles."

"Thanks," he said, laughing nervously. "So do you. What brings you here?"

"This place will always hold a special place in my heart, Stiles… I just wanted to make sure everything was still going well," Lydia replied.

Stiles replied with the only thing that would come to his head. "Lydia, I never meant to hurt you."

"But you did hurt me, Stiles," Lydia replied. Stiles looked away, feeling abashed.

Derek once again appeared out of seemingly nowhere. Stiles knew he had likely been listening in and was probably monitoring his emotions and heart rate and all of those other creepy ways he had of knowing exactly what was going on. Lydia curtsied gracefully. "Hello, Your Highness."

"Is everything alright, Stiles?" Derek asked pointedly, glaring daggers at Lydia.

"Yes," Stiles replied. "But could you give us some privacy?"

"That's not necessary," Lydia said. "Your Highness took Stiles away from me once already. I suppose I'm getting accustomed to it now."

"You think I stole him from you?" Derek began, his voice becoming as defensive as it was dangerous.

"Derek please… Go mingle. I don't want you two to start arguing," Stiles begged.

"Alright. Come find me," he said, placing a kiss on Stiles' cheek that he knew was more for Lydia than anything else.

When Derek was all the way across the room, Stiles pulled Lydia even further away from the crowd. He searched her eyes, trying to find the words to say to mend the rift he caused between them, but they were nowhere to be found. Instead, he spoke from the heart. "Lydia… I love you. I will always love you! Leaving you was one of the hardest things I have ever done… but… I love Derek. I can't imagine my life without him."

"Did he bite you?" Lydia asked. "Is that why you had to leave to be with him?"

"No," Stiles replied. "I'm still human."

"Were you seeing him while we were together?" she asked.

"No," Stiles replied.

Lydia was silent for a few minutes. Stiles feared she would put two-and-two together. "Are you happy?" she asked, throwing him off. "I mean  _truly_  happy…"

"I am," Stiles replied. "Are you?"

"Yeah. I met a guy… he works in law enforcement. He's hot… smart…" she began, but Stiles couldn't bear to hear her describe him.

He cut her off. "I'm sorry Lydia… Seeing you tonight… I just… I can't deal with this right now."

Stiles backed away from her and made his way back through the crowd. There were speeches and toasts, but Stiles couldn't concentrate for any of them. As the night went on, he drained glass after glass until there was nobody left in the hall but him and Derek. The fundraiser was over and with his mother-in-law's contribution, he had raised over $800,000. The possibilities were swimming in his head. But he was drunk enough that maybe everything was swimming in his head.

Derek sat next to him at a table. "Are you coming up to bed?"

"Inna sec," he said, slurring his words together. He stared off into space, unsure how he was supposed to feel.

"You've had a lot to drink," Derek began.

"I know," Stiles replied.  _I told her I still love her. Did Derek hear that? I_ _ **do**_ _still love her though… and I love him._

Derek seemed to read his thoughts. "It's Lydia, isn't it?" Stiles didn't say anything in response. He just gave Derek a look that seemed to answer all of Derek's questions. "Do you still regret marrying me?"

Stiles stood up. His balance faltered and his arms were a windmill for a few seconds as he struggled to find equilibrium. Derek rushed to his feet to help. "I don' wanna talk 'bout this right now," he said, his words becoming increasingly indistinguishable. "Jus' help me upstairs."

Derek picked Stiles up and carried him to their bedroom. He helped his husband change out of his clothes and made sure he wasn't going to throw up before crawling into bed beside him. Stiles moved Derek's arm so that it was tightly around him. "This is just like the first time we met," Derek pointed out.

"Stay with me this time," Stiles begged. "Please…"

"I'll never leave you, Stiles," Derek replied.

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

Stiles awoke the next morning, expecting to turn around and see Derek lying next to him. But instead of where Derek normally lay, there was a large, empty space. "You said you'd never leave," Stiles whispered. Seeing that Derek wasn't there after the dream he had in which Stiles was still with Lydia caused his heart to ache a bit.

"Relax," Derek said as he strolled out of the bathroom. "I'm right here." The relief on Stiles' face must have been evident because Derek cocked his head to the side before crawling in next to him. "What's wrong?"

"Seeing Lydia last night just brought up some old stuff," Stiles said.

"You told her you love her," Derek said softly.

"Because I do," he replied. He saw how hurt his husband was. "I was with her for  _years_ , Derek, before your mother and my father told me that I had to dump her and marry you. Those feelings don't just go away overnight."

"If I left you today… would you go back to her?" Derek asked.

Stiles hated those sorts of hypotheticals. "You're not going to leave me today. Please, Derek. I'm really hung over and don't' want to have this conversation right now. I love you and I'm married to you… let's just leave it at that."

"You  _are_  happy with me, right?" Derek asked.

"Yes, Derek!" Stiles snapped. "I'm just… I can't talk about this right now! Please!" He pulled on some sweat pants and a t-shirt and headed downstairs where most of the kids were finishing their breakfast.

"How was the fund raiser?" one of the kids asked him. A whole chorus followed of different questions.

"I haven't looked at the numbers yet," Stiles told them. "But it's not for you guys to worry about. You have school work!"

"Not today!" one of them challenged. "It's Saturday."

"Well I'm sure you have something to do," Stiles said starting in on some toast and bacon. Derek soon joined them and was greeted by a chorus of his own.

There were casual discussions among the kids as to what they would be doing on their day off from school.

One of the staff members came up to Stiles and Derek. "You two have some visitors that I think you should greet yourselves. Stiles, they're in your office."

Stiles and Derek exchanged confused looks, unsure as to who might be visiting them.

They slowly got up and excused themselves from the table and made their way to Stiles' office. Isaac was standing outside it, his face red from tears and embarrassment. He tried to hide it away from them. Stiles and Derek both wrapped their arms around him. "What's wrong?" Derek asked.

"Ask them…" he managed.

Stiles peeked into his office to find Isaac's parents. He told Derek to bring Isaac up to his old room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Whittemore," Stiles said. "How are you?"

"Hello Your Highness," Mr. Whittemore replied.

"Pardon my wardrobe," Stiles said. "I'm not used to meeting with people on weekends. And please… call me Stiles. What seems to be the issue?"

"My wife and I are expecting twins," he replied.

"Congratulations!" Stiles said. "But I'm not sure why you're here…"

"We need to break the adoption," Mrs. Whittemore said.

At first Stiles thought he misheard her. Then he realized he hadn't and the anger came. "So just because you're about to have two kids you think you have the right to bring him back and crush his feelings? He's a person!" Stiles scolded. "He's not last season's Louis Vuitton!"

"I'm sorry, but we didn't expect the added expenses of twins. We thought we couldn't have kids of our own!" she said.

"That's no defense for what you're doing!" Stiles snarled. "Did you ever stop to think what kind of damage this is going to do to him? There is a likelihood that he might age out of the system now. Do you want to know statistics for kids who age out?"

"I'm sorry, but our circumstances changed," Mr. Whittemore said.

"Well I'll gladly take him back, but only because I mistakenly placed him with you monsters!" Stiles snapped. "I'll have my lawyers send you the paperwork. I don't want you in my presence for another second!"

He dismissed them and headed upstairs. Isaac was crying into Derek's chest. It hurt Stiles to see him so upset. "Isaac, I'm so sorry," he said. "I never imagined this would happen…"

"It's not your fault," Isaac replied.

"I know you're not alright, Isaac… but is there anything you need right now?" Derek asked.

"I think I know why this always happens to me," Isaac said as he wiped his eyes. His voice held a level of clarity that worried Stiles. "There's a reason why no parents want me."

"It's nothing to do with you, Isaac," Stiles interjected, recognizing the negative thought cycle Isaac always fell into after situations like this one.

"Just let me finish!" Isaac insisted. "I'm not meant to be their son. They don't understand me. They don't really love me. I'm not their son. None of them."

"We can still find you someone," Stiles said quickly.

"No," Isaac said. "You can't. And even if you did, I wouldn't be their son either."

"What do you mean?" Derek asked.

Isaac looked back and forth between them and sighed. "I mean that I'm not supposed to be their son because maybe I'm supposed to be yours. I already think of you two as my dads… and I know you love me. So file the paperwork and adopt me yourself," Isaac insisted. "Please."

"We'd have to talk about this," Stiles said cautiously.

"Could you give us a little bit of time to consider it?" Derek asked.

Isaac nodded.

"How are you feeling right now?" Stiles asked him.

Isaac shrugged. "I honestly don't know. It's still kind of a shock, really. I mean… we got along well enough. I liked them. I thought they liked me…"

"Stiles, why don't we let Isaac settle in… discuss what we need to discuss… and then check in on him later?" Derek said pragmatically.

"Alright," Stiles said. "Isaac, if you need us for anything, let us know."

Derek put his arm around Stiles and guided him out of the room. When they were nearly in their bedroom, Derek spoke. "I want to do it. I want to adopt Isaac."

"Derek we're just now getting comfortable being a couple. I love Isaac… but what if it's too much too soon?" Stiles said.

"But if we don't act soon, we risk Isaac aging out of the system," Derek said. "I don't want for that to happen."

Stiles sat there for a second. "So we're having a kid…"

"A 17 year old…"

"How does this affect the Pack?" Stiles asked.

"They'll love him just as we do," Derek replied.

When they went back to tell Isaac their decision, both of them had forgotten the spat about Lydia, but they were both thinking about the same thing. They were about to be parents. When Isaac finally heard the words, he broke down into tears. He knew that this family wouldn't abandon him. He also knew that the love between them was real because he had watched how hard they had worked to make it this far. He smiled brighter than he had since his mother had been alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So a lot happened in this chapter (hence why I titled the chapter what I did. Please let me know what you thought of it!


	10. Chapter 10

Stiles had been having a particularly racy dream about his husband when the sensation of Derek moving jolted him out of the part of the dream where he was pretty sure he was about to come. "It's very rude of you to interrupt me from having sex with you in my dreams," Stiles groaned with a smile on his face.

"Why dream about it when you can just do it for real?" Derek replied with a wit far too quick for having just woke up at three in the morning.

"Are you alright?" Stiles asked.

"Mom just summoned me," he replied.

"Just because you're a technology-inept werewolf doesn't mean you can't use the word 'texted'," Stiles said.

Derek glared. "No. Alphas have the ability to summon their Betas, no matter how far away they are. It feels like someone stuck their claws into my stomach." They both heard a buzzing sound from Derek's bedside table. "Although I don't know why she had to do that if she was just going to text me anyway."

"What does it say?" Stiles asked as Derek reached for his phone and read the message.

"It says to bring you and Isaac," he replied.

"When do we need to leave?"

"As soon as possible," Derek said.

"I'll call Scott and Kira, you go wake up our son," Stiles sighed, throwing the warm covers off of him, revealing the erection.

Derek noticed it and laughed. "It's a shame I wasn't experiencing that dream with you."

"Rest assured, you were very,  _very_  good at what you were doing," Stiles smirked.

"Make sure you remember it. We'll have to make it a reality after we figure out what was so important it required a trip halfway down the coast at 3:00 in the morning," Derek said with a wink that made Stiles giggle boyishly.

Derek packed for them both and then went to rouse Isaac as Stiles got in touch of Scott. When Derek returned with a sleepy Isaac and another bag of luggage in tow, Stiles informed them that Scott would be there soon and picked up the other bags of luggage as they all headed to the car.

"You both are princes of the territory, so I get you leaving. But why did I have to come?" Isaac asked through a yawn as they pulled onto the freeway.

"You're our son now, Isaac," Derek said. "That makes you a prince, too."

"Monarchies don't work that way," Isaac argued. "I'm adopted."

"This one does," Derek said.

"So I might one day be King of the territory?" Isaac asked.

"Since you're a human, you'd inherit the Lordship," Derek told him before telling Isaac he should sleep.

"Do you mind if I get some more shut-eye too?" Stiles asked.

"If you have the same dream you had before, how are we going to explain the noises you might make to our son?" Derek asked.

"I already know you two do it," Isaac said as he adjusted his position to be able to sleep more comfortably in the back seat of the car.

"What?" Stiles asked, flushing.

"Your room isn't as soundproof as you think. Sometimes when I got up in the middle of the night to get some water or use the bathroom, I'd hear you. ' _Oh Derek! Oh fuck yeah…'_ or ' _Fucking take my knot_ ' whatever that means…" Isaac said.

Stiles was glad it was dark so that the shade of crimson he was turning. "That's enough," Derek said, his voice a bit higher and sharper than normal. The way he shifted in the driver's seat told Stiles that he was just as mortified.

It took a few minutes of awkward silence before Stiles finally just turned on the radio.

He woke up as dawn was breaking. His stomach growled angrily. "Are we almost there?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah. I've already asked mom… breakfast will be waiting for us," Derek told him, putting his open hand on the center console.

Stiles took it in his own. He looked back to see Isaac was just waking up and smiled. He had a family. And he was happy.

It was well past 9:00 am when they finally reached the mansion. Stiles immediately noticed the increase in security. "Derek what's going on?" he said. "There weren't this many guards last time."

"I don't know…" Derek said hesitantly. The car was inspected as they drove onto the property and they were escorted in by guards. Derek put his arm around Isaac, sensing how nervous he was. "It's alright. We're here with you," he whispered.

They were brought into the formal dining hall where all members of the Hale pack were seated with Talia at the head. Three seats near her were saved for them. Breakfast was being served. "Announcing His Royal Highness Derek Hale, Prince of Beacon Hills, His Royal Highness Prince Stanisław Hale of San Francisco, and His Grace, Lord Isaac Hale," someone said loudly. Everyone but Talia stood and bowed as they approached their seats. Once they were seated, everyone else sat.

"For the first time in a while, we've had the entire pack meet because for the first time in a long time, we are all in rather grave danger," Talia said, not wanting to waste time. "People using the Argent symbol have been attacking Werewolf-owned houses and businesses. They've been defacing property with the  _fleur de lis_  and there is one instance where a house was encircled with mountain ash and set on fire."

"Why haven't I heard this yet?" Derek asked.

"You and Stiles just adopted Isaac. We didn't want to worry you while you were adjusting to your new family dynamic," Talia admitted.

"But these are isolated incidents," someone at the other end of the table said. "Why does this concern us as a pack?"

"Because the Calaveras have begun strengthening their hold in Mexico and are providing a rallying point for pro-Hunter dissidents here in the Territory," Talia said. A flurry of hushed murmurs swept through the hall in a way that reminded Stiles of the reaction to Voldemort's name.

As Talia continued talking, Stiles looked around. He noticed one empty seat toward the end farthest away from where he sat. He figured it wasn't saved for Laura, since her seat would have been much closer to Talia's. Cora fidgeted in her seat, stealing the occasional glance at Isaac. Stiles' attention moved in and out. His ADHD made it difficult for him to pay attention under normal circumstances, but at the moment, he was hyper aware that he was one of only two humans in the dining hall and his stomach was growling loudly. Even Isaac was staring longingly at his food, but Talia hadn't given them leave to begin eating.

"As such," Talia said in tones that Stiles recognized as being toward the end of her speech, "I'm requiring that all members of the Hale Pack have a 24/7 security detail."

That caught Stiles' attention. "Your Majesty, adding that many security guards to the staff at the orphanage will frighten the children in my care."

"I'm sorry, Stiles," Talia said. "But your protection is more important. The orphanage has already been broken into once. I have no choice but to post trained guard wolves."

"And if the hunters use mountain ash or wolfsbane like they did in the last war?" Stiles asked. "Suddenly the security detail will become just as vulnerable as everyone else."

"I've considered that possibility. In the case of an attack on the orphanage, your human security would be able to break a mountain ash line and aid the werewolves," the Queen replied. None of this sat well with Stiles, but he could tell how uncomfortable Derek was so he decided to stop. He could address any more concerns he had with the plan privately after the breakfast. "Now I can tell you are all very hungry so I will stop talking and allow you all to eat."

A general din seemed to fill the hall during which point, Talia addressed Derek, Stiles, and Isaac. "It's good to finally meet you, Isaac," she said.

Isaac stopped shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth long enough to compose at least a small level of decorum and say "It's wonderful meeting you as well, Your Majesty."

Talia chuckled. "Don't you think that 'Your Majesty' is a bit of a formal way to refer to your new grandmother?"

Isaac seemed to be at a loss. "May I call you grandma then?"

Cora struggled not to spit out some of her orange juice and Derek held a slightly bemused expression on his face. Talia laughed as well. "Not if you wish to remain alive," she joked. "Just call me Talia. I must admit, though, that I've always wanted a grandchild. I always expected Laura to be the first. I would have spoiled a grandson rotten. But since you're a new addition to the family, I guess I'll just have to give you nearly 18 years' worth of spoiling in a more condensed fashion. Is there something you would like?" Isaac blushed and glanced at Stiles and Derek. It was obvious that he felt awkward making any request, but especially in front of his parents. Talia, too, seemed to sense this and said, "Think on it. I will check back with you before you leave."

When everyone was done with their breakfast, the table was cleared. Once again, all eyes fell on the Alpha. "I hope you are not thinking I would call a full Pack meeting to give a doom and gloom warning. I have two other announcements to make to the Pack. First being that we have another new member. Derek and Stiles have adopted Isaac. He is now a member of our Pack and therefore must be treated with all the respect and privileges that befit that rank." Everyone raised a glass to Isaac, Derek and Stiles included. Isaac blushed. Cora suddenly looked mad. "Now my second bit of news is that we have a special guest who will be aiding us in our fight against this new band of Hunters." The door opened and a girl about Isaac's age with long black hair and a severe demeanor strode in. "This is Allison Argent."

At the announcement of her last name, the pack began protesting. It took Talia several minutes to get silence back in the hall. As the Princes, Derek and Stiles were allowed to speak first. They were both of the same mind. "How do we know we can trust her? She's an Argent!" Derek said plainly.

"Why do I have a feeling that my father didn't agree to this? Hunters can't be trusted. For all we know, she's a spy for the Calaveras!" Stiles said. "And we have her in the same room as the entire Pack."

"If I may," Allison said. Stiles and Derek both glared at her. "I was only 7 years old when the Hunter regime fell. I've grown up with the Argent name and I am ashamed of what my grandfather and the other Hunters did. It was a perversion of our mission. We were supposed to protect innocent people from supernatural creatures who posed danger. Instead, they attempted a genocide. I don't want that to happen again. I want to bring some honor back to the name Argent. I want to help stop the Calaveras before they gain the power to do what Gerard did."

"Those are pretty words," Stiles said. "But how can we be sure you'll be of any use? You said yourself that you were only 7 when Gerard fell from power. Hunting has been illegal since the establishment of the Monarchies in the Territories. Unless you've spent the last decade illegally hunting supernatural creatures, there's no way you'd have any information that we don't already have access to."

"My father helped the liberators and hated what my grandfather had done. He raised me to understand the difference between protecting those who cannot protect themselves and butchery," she said haughtily. "I've been gaining intelligence on the Calaveras while you've been tending to orphans and smiling pretty for the cameras."

Stiles didn't even remember standing up. The next thing he knew, Derek's powerful arm was wrapped around him in an attempt to restrain him. "Derek, take Stiles into another room and help him calm down," Talia ordered. Derek obeyed, but was unable to stop Stiles from rudely shouldering Allison out of his way.

When they were in one of the bedrooms, Derek spoke first. "What was that about?"

"I don't trust her," Stiles said plainly.

"My mother does. Therefore I do," he replied.

"She's a Hunter, Derek. She could just as easily be lying to us and selling our secrets to the Calaveras," Stiles said. "If something happened to you and Isaac…"

"She  _was_  a Hunter," Derek corrected. "She wants peace."

"People like that don't change. Not that much," Stiles grumbled stubbornly.

Derek put his arms around his husband. "You and I changed."

"We had a duty to the territory," Stiles replied.

"Our duty only said we had to marry. It said nothing about falling in love and adopting a son," Derek pointed out. "She was in a room full of Werewolves. We would have known if she was lying."

"I still don't trust her," Stiles insisted.

"You don't have to," Derek said. "Just trust me. I'll keep you and Isaac safe."

By the time they had rejoined the pack, the meeting was over. Talia took a moment to make sure Stiles was alright, but soon returned to catching up with family members she hadn't seen in a long time. Stiles decided to do the same. He saw Cora skulking in the corner. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she lied.

Derek joined them with a smile. "She just came to the realization that she's actually Isaac's aunt and therefore can't date him."

"He was gaga for the Hunter anyway," she said. Her voice held all the crispness of a fresh apple with none of the sweetness. "Did you hear how his heart raced when she walked to the room? He was like a dog in heat."

"Who knew jealousy was so adorable on you, Cora?" Derek teased, but Cora returned his jest with a look so wroth it could have curdled milk.

"You should be more concerned that your son doesn't end up falling into a Hunter's trap," she warned.

"Don't worry," Stiles assured her. "I am." Derek cut him a warning glare, flashing his eyes blue.

"Where's Laura?" Derek asked his sister.

When she realized he was serious, she stifled a laugh. "Did you honestly think our mother would bring Laura into a meeting where she was going to introduce us to the grand-daughter of the man who cut her mate in half? We would be cleaning up that girl's pieces right now and a whole new war would be started." Derek bristled and immediately Cora felt bad. "I'm sorry, Derek… you know I didn't mean it like that…"

"But when I killed the wrong Argent, I started the last war," Derek said. "We can't afford for history to repeat itself like that."

"It won't," Stiles said, nuzzling against his husband, hoping it would be enough to calm him. "Our side is much more prepared this time."

"What happened to all of your doom and gloom talk?" Derek questioned, his eyebrow raised.

"You told me to trust you. I do."

Before they were ready to head back to the orphanage, Talia pulled Derek and Stiles aside. "There are a few things I wanted to talk to you about privately."

They sat down. "Is this about the Hunter girl?" Stiles asked.

"No," Talia replied. "We need to discuss succession. We can arrange for surrogates to ensure you both have heirs, but we need a human heir first and foremost for the Lordship."

"We  _have_  a human heir for that," Derek replied. "Isaac's a human. What we  _need_  is an heir to the Alpha. "

"He asked me to turn him," Talia replied softly.

"Did you?" Stiles demanded, feeling his protective parent impulses going haywire.

"No," Talia said, prompting Stiles to relax in his chair.

"I told him he would need to wait until he was 18," she replied. "I'm a mother, Stiles. Do you think I would ever do something so big without consulting you first?"

"I don't want a surrogate," Derek said forcefully. "I married Stiles. I love him. I am not going to have sex with someone else."

"You don't have to have sex with the surrogate, Der," Stiles said. "There other ways of doing it…"

"If Isaac becomes a werewolf, won't he become my heir for the position of Alpha?" Derek asked.

"By Human inheritance laws, yes," Talia said. "But you know that the position of Alpha will pass to the next best werewolf in the pack, regardless of who we've named our heirs."

"So what are we going to do for the Lordship?" Stiles asked.

The way Talia's tone changed told Stiles he wasn't going to like the words that followed. "There are two female heirs in the Human nobility of our Territory. I've spoken to one already and she's willing to be your surrogate."

Stiles' eyes narrowed. There was only one person he could think of who could possibly fit that description. "Certainly you don't mean…"

"Lady Lydia Martin," Talia said, confirming the fear Stiles had.

"You're kidding, right?" Stiles said. "Please tell me this is some kind of joke…" Realizing Derek's lack of shocked indignation at his husband siring a child with his ex-lover, Stiles became more furious. "Did you know about this?"

Derek gave a small nod, looking completely ashamed, but Talia quickly spoke up. "Please don't blame him. I gave an Alpha order to him. He wouldn't have been able to tell you," she said.

Stiles was trembling from rage. "How could you do that to me, Talia?" he demanded.

"We have to think of the Territory, Stiles," she said.

"I thought of the territory when I left her to marry your son!" he shouted. "I intended to marry  _her_. I would have been able to create heirs with her. Instead, I married Derek." He saw his husband wince at the way he'd said that, but he was too angry to care. "I trusted you. I can't believe I was so fucking stupid."

He slammed the door behind him as he walked out.

* * *

When Talia left the room with Stiles and Derek, Isaac stood awkwardly on his own before summoning the courage to talk to the beautiful Hunter girl who was also alone. "So that was intense…" he said quietly.

"I don't know why I expected anything else," she said.

"I know my dad might have come across a little harsh… but he's just afraid there will be another war," Isaac said timidly, but then his face lit up as a realization struck him. "You know… this is not that different from when Voldemort came back in the end of the fourth Harry Potter book and Dumbledore met pre-emptively with the Order of the Phoenix to ensure that they could head him off before he got more powerful."

Allison narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Isaac inhaled slowly. "Okay… not a Harry Potter fan… So you grew up as a Hunter?"

"Not really," she said tersely. "I grew up in a Hunter family."

Isaac put his hands in his pockets and eased his long torso around, nudging her shoulder with his rather playfully as sucked air through his teeth. "Isn't that just splitting hairs though?"

Allison took a large step away from him. "Your family is a bunch of Werewolves and mine are Hunters. While this thing you're doing, that I'm sure you think is flirting, is laughable… I'll put this in terms that I think you'll be able to internalize: You're from the Capulets and I'm from the Montagues. It's just not going to work."

"So you  _do_  read!" Isaac said, choosing to ignore the insult.

"Did you think I was illiterate?"

"No!" Isaac insisted. "I figured you were perfectly literate. I just assumed you had really bad taste in books."

The corner of Allison's mouth twitched in the obvious beginnings of a smile. "So are you a Werewolf,  _Your Grace_?" She added the title more out of derision than respect.

"Nope… I'm a human!" Isaac replied brightly. "I live in the orphanage Stiles runs… he and Derek adopted me."

"I grew up moving around with my dad. It isn't easy to stay in one place very long when your last name is the most despised name since Hitler…" she said.

"This conversation went south quickly," Isaac said before Stiles stormed into the room. He looked flushed and livid.

"Isaac, we're leaving," he said abruptly. "Now."

Isaac turned back to Allison. "This was…"

"Fun," she finished his sentence flashing a smile.

"See you around?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied coyly.

Isaac was grinning ear to ear as he reached Stiles' side. Stiles rushed him to the car. "Where's Derek?" he asked.

"He won't be coming with us," Stiles replied. "Put on your seatbelt," he said as he turned the key, bringing the car to life. He sped out of the driveway. The tone in his voice told Isaac not to question the Derek thing any further. The silence between them was uncomfortable for both of them so when Isaac plugged his phone into the auxiliary port and began playing music, it was a welcome change.

_Alabama, Arkansas,_  
_I do love my Ma and Pa  
_ _Not the way that I do love you…_

"I talked to a girl," Isaac said proudly, turning the music down a little.

"You also talked to Talia," Stiles replied.

_Man, oh, man, you're my best friend_  
_I scream it to the nothingness  
_ _There ain't nothing that I need…_

Isaac shrank into his seat, clutching the shoulder strap of his seatbelt cautiously. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"Of course not," Stiles replied. "I wish you would have talked to us first, but once you turn 18, if you want to go through with it, neither Derek nor I will stop you."

Isaac easily read Stiles' tone of voice. "You don't think I should…"

_Home, let me come home  
_ _Home is wherever I'm with you…_

"It's not about what I think, Isaac. The transformation process is risky. If it doesn't kill you, it could turn you into something other than a Werewolf. And if it goes right, you would still need to learn to control it, especially on the full moon," Stiles explained. "You would have to stay somewhere other than the orphanage until you had it 100% under control. You would also become more of a target if we end up going back to war with the Hunters."

"You would kick me out?" he asked, his lip trembling.

"Of course not! Isaac, I would never just kick you out! I'd get you an apartment somewhere secluded that you could go to until you had it all figured out. Derek, Talia, and Cora would teach you. It might take a couple moons, but after that, it should be fine," Stiles told him.

_I'll follow you into the park,_  
_Through the jungle, through the dark  
_ _Girl, I've never loved one like you…_

Isaac was silent for a few more moments. Stiles' phone began ringing. He saw that it was Derek and rejected the phone call. Tears of frustration came to his eyes and he wiped them away, but not before Isaac caught a glimpse of who had called. "What happened between you and Derek?" he asked.

"It's nothing to concern you," Stiles sniffed.

"You're my dad and I love you," Isaac replied. "But so is he and I love him too. Something happened when you two left with Queen Talia."

"Talia did something that really hurt me," he replied. "Can we leave it at that, for now?"

"If Queen Talia did it, then why are you punishing Derek?"

_And in the streets you run afree,_  
_Like it's only you and me,  
_ _Geez, you're something to see._

"I'm not punishing Derek," Stiles snapped too defensively for it to be true.

_Home, let me come home  
_ _Home is wherever I'm with you_

Stiles glanced over to see the look on Isaac's face. "I'm sorry. I'm just…"

"It's alright," Isaac said softly.

The lyrics to the song began to sink into Stiles' head. "Why did you play this song?" he asked.

Isaac shrugged. "I really like it. It's about finding a place of belonging with the people you love. After my mom and older brother died, I never felt like I belonged anywhere until you made me a home with you and Derek. No matter where we go, as long as I'm with you, then I'm home." Stiles couldn't help but smile at the wisdom of his son. "And I think Derek might feel the same way about us."

"You're much wiser than your years," Stiles said softly, choking back a lump that was forming in his throat. He pulled off the highway and turned around.  _You're a prince, now, Stiles,_  he told himself. _You can't just run from things because you're hurt. You must stand above it all. You must stand united with Derek and Isaac and beat Talia at her own game. Be the leader that your Territory needs._

When they returned to the mansion, Derek was standing outside with his phone in-hand. There was a noticeable look of relief on his face when he saw who was pulling in. The moment the car had come to a stop, Isaac's seatbelt was unfastened and he was out of the car, pulled into a tight embrace by Derek.

Stiles was more reticent to get out of the car. He was almost ashamed to look Derek in the eye. To help, Derek didn't say anything. He simply wrapped his arms tightly around him. When Stiles finally relaxed into it, Derek spoke. "I was honestly afraid I'd never see you again. I don't think I've ever seen you so mad."

"I'm not going to do it," Stiles replied. "Your mother knew what she was doing when she approached Lydia. I've made my life with you."

"Walk with me," Derek said. He turned to Isaac. "You can join us if you want."

"You have stuff to work out. It'll be easier if I'm not there listening," Isaac replied.

Derek waited until they were off the grounds and into the woods that surrounded the mansion until he spoke. "I don't want you to choose me because you're afraid you'll hurt my feelings. You still love Lydia. You told her so at the fund raiser. Your heart still skips a beat when you talk about her. And you wouldn't be so upset if you didn't still care deeply for her."

"We have a son now," Stiles said. But only after the words came out of his mouth did he realize how bad that sounded.

"You gave up a chance at happiness with her to marry me. I'm giving you an out, Stiles. You and I can maintain an outward appearance of our relationship and you can start your family with her in secret. We'll wait a few years and divorce citing 'irreconcilable differences' and you can have your happily ever after with Lydia," he said. "Isaac will be legally an adult by then and can do what he wants."

"Derek, it's our duty to continue this marriage," Stiles said.

A tense silence passed between them. "Do you really love me?" Derek asked after a while.

"Yes," Stiles said without hesitation.

"Then why do I still sometimes feel like I'm your silver medal?" he asked.

Stiles felt his anger building up and before he could stop himself, he became defensive. "If you feel insecure in our relationship, then that's on you!"

Derek let out an exasperated sigh. "I just want you to be happy, Stiles… even if it's not with me."

"I love you," Stiles said. "It's your mother I can't handle. What she did was unforgiveable. How am I supposed to get over the hurt of leaving Lydia when she rips open the wound?"

"You're right," he said. "I'll talk to her. Until then, can I ask one favor?"

"Sure," Stiles replied.

"When you're angry at my family, please don't take it out on me. I told my mom that if I were the Alpha, I would never have done that to you. She said ' _But you're not the Alpha. I am_.' It'd be easier to face these situations if I'm not fighting this battle from both sides," Derek said. "I'll always defend you."

"Derek, they're your pack," Stiles said.

"And you're my husband," Derek replied affectionately, giving Stiles a kiss on the cheek. "Let's head back."

They walked hand-in-hand back the way they came. As the woods began to open onto a large lawn, Stiles felt Derek tense for a moment. The world seemed to blur as he felt Derek's hand shove him in the back. He hit the ground hard, knocking the air from his lungs. He tried to shout out "What the hell?" when the blast of hot air hit him and the house exploded. Splintered wood and shards of glass rained down on him. Instincts kicked in and he covered the back of his neck with his hands, which bared the brunt of the damage. It hurt, but not as much as the realization that struck him.

Isaac was in there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I know... I'm really terrible for leaving a cliff hanger like that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, though! Let me know what you thought of it!


	11. Chapter 11

As the splinters stopped falling, Stiles struggled to push himself to his feet. His ears were ringing and felt as if the world around him were spinning, but he did his best to push all of that out of his mind. He had only one goal. He had to find Isaac.

He screamed his son's name, but could barely hear his own voice. Whether it was from the still loud ringing in his ears or the roar of the fires still burning in the wrecked shell of a mansion, Stiles wasn't sure. Derek was the first to make it to the building. He shifted and used his strength to get through the rubble. "Isaac!" Stiles continued to call, hoping he would hear a reply.

Stiles could not help but to blame himself. If he hadn't come back, Isaac would have been nowhere near the explosion. But he still had to wonder if Derek would have survived, since the only reason he had been outside of the house had been their little talk. Then there was the matter of all the other members of the Hale pack. The guilt of all of that combined with the chokingly thick smoke made it almost impossible to breathe. Stiles pulled his now tattered shirt over his nose, hoping to filter out some of the black clouds that were billowing from the flames.

Derek and Stiles separated once they were in what remained of the entryway, hoping they could find more survivors by splitting up. From the corner of his eye, Stiles saw a collapsed bookshelf shift slightly. A hand moved from underneath. "I found someone!" he shouted. He could hear himself slightly better. His hands were bloody and sore and he was pretty sure he had a nasty cut on his forehead that was oozing blood, but he didn't care. As he pulled the bookshelf up, he saw that it was Cora. "Can you move?"

"I think so," she said, pulling herself up. She grabbed left wrist and squeezed tightly. Stiles could hear the bones crack. "It stimulates the healing process," Cora explained. "I should be back to normal in a few minutes."

She seemed as dazed and shocked as he was. "Stay here until you're healed enough to walk, then get out of the house and into the yard. Derek and I will come find you."

She nodded her understanding and Stiles went back to searching for Isaac. His hearing slowly returned to him as he continued calling his son's name. "Isaac! If you can hear my voice, I love you. I'll find you. I'll save you."

He was stumbling through the rubble for a while before Derek finally caught up with him. His eyes were fiery red and hard as steel, but in his arms was unmistakably Isaac's limp body. Stiles felt his heart shoot up into his throat. The salty tears that spilled from his eyes stung the cuts and abrasions that covered his face. "No…" he whispered, shaking his head. "Please… no."

"He's alive," Derek assured Stiles. "But only just barely."

Rescue crews had descended on the property. They tried to treat his wounds but Stiles pushed them off. "Take care of my son," he ordered.

"Your Highness, we need to take him to the hospital," one of the EMTs said softly. "We don't have the equipment we need to treat him here."

"Then do it!" Stiles snarled. "Save my son!"

"You should go with him," Derek said. "He's going to need you when he wakes up."

"He's going to need you, too," Stiles replied, grabbing Derek's arm. It had already completely healed. He didn't want to be apart from Derek right then.

Derek kissed his forehead. "I've got a few things I need to take care of now, but as soon as I'm done, I'll join you in the hospital."

"Please stay safe," Stiles said softly.

"You as well. I'll be sending guards to protect you and Cora," he replied. "They'll follow you to the hospital."

The ride to the hospital went by quickly and soon, Isaac was on a hospital bed in a private and well-guarded room with various monitors tracking his vitals. Seeing him like that brought tears to his eyes. Isaac was covered in scrapes and bruises. He had a black eye and a busted lip. His pale skin looked more like marble dotted with rust. In truth, he didn't look all that different from the day Stiles first met him. He remembered how young and scared Isaac had been when he woke up to see Stiles for the first time and how he had called out for his dad. Stiles remembered how relieved he looked when he was told that he wouldn't be going back to his dad's just yet.

Stiles picked up the boy's hand and held it between his own, kissing his bruised and cut fingers. "I don't know if you can hear me," he began. "I really hope you can, though. I want you to know that I love you and I'm proud of you." His voice strained to escape his throat, caught up by the lump forming in it. "You've been with me longer than any child I've ever taken in and I've loved you more than I've ever loved one of my charges. I ask this only because it would kill me otherwise… please don't die. Please…" He wiped his tears away as he watched his son take breaths with the aid of a machine. He hated just how helpless he was in that moment.

Nurses and doctors continued to check in on him, as did the security guards.

Stiles wasn't sure when he fell asleep or even whether it was from mental, emotional or physical exhaustion, but when Derek finally came into the room, he was leaning onto an empty part of the bed. Isaac was still unconscious. Stiles blinked a few times before his brain registered who had walked in. He was suddenly appalled at himself for having been napping while Isaac was fighting for his life. That must have been written on his face because Derek cocked his head to the side and embraced him. "I've just spoken to Isaac's doctors," he said softly.

"What did they say?" The look on Derek's face told Stiles more than he even wanted to hear. His hand came to his mouth and his eyes returned to his son. "Why did they do this?" he asked.

"I don't know," Derek said. "But I will make sure they pay for it." There was a long pause in which he tried to summon the courage to say what he needed to say next. "Stiles, his only chance at coming out of this coma might be the Bite."

"The Bite can be just as dangerous!" Stiles snapped.

"But what if it is the only way we can get him back?" Derek demanded. "I just lost almost all of my Pack. I refuse to lose my son, too. Especially if I can stop it."

"And if he dies from the bite?" Stiles asked, doing his best to keep his voice from breaking.

"He won't," Derek said confidently. "I won't let him die."

"Where's Cora?" Stiles asked. "Were there any other survivors?"

"Cora's already healed and I have her in hiding, but she was the only Hale who survived," Derek said softly.

It felt like a punch in the gut. Stiles tried to wrap his mind around the number of people who had lost their lives when he realized the peculiar wording Derek chose. "Who else survived?" Stiles asked, narrowing his eyes, already knowing the answer.

Derek moved to make sure he was blocking the door before he finally answered. "Allison Argent."

A fury burned within him that he couldn't stop. Derek sensed it. "Let me guess… she's fucking fine right now, isn't she?"

"What happened to Isaac and everyone else was not her fault, Stiles," Derek said with a calmness that only served to anger Stiles more.

"A Hunter was brought to a Pack meeting and then the house explodes. Am I the only one who sees that as a nearly impossible coincidence?" Stiles asked.

"Stiles, given everything that we've endured today and the fact that our son is right there fighting for his life, I don't want to argue with you right now… please," Derek said, showing for the first time how exhausted he was, both physically and emotionally.

"You're right, Derek… I'm sorry," Stiles said, feeling ashamed for his temper.

"I've never needed you as much as I do right now," Derek admitted. "I'm so scared and lost right now. I'm the Alpha of the territory. I don't know what I'm doing and I don't even feel like I'm able to grieve for my family…"

Stiles hugged him. "I'm here for you," he said softly. "So is my dad."

Frustrated tears began to escape Derek's eyes. "I was never supposed to become the Alpha!" he said through gritted teeth. "It was supposed to be Laura.  _This was never supposed to be my life._ " Derek broke down, sinking to his knees. He was too heavy for Stiles to support on his own, so Stiles sank with him. As Derek sobbed against him, Stiles stroked his thick hair and held him tighter. "I don't want to be a King." Derek shook his head slightly as he wept into Stiles' neck. He kept repeating "I don't want it…"

"None of this is fair," Stiles agreed. "And I am so sorry. But it's often those who least want a crown who seem to wear it best." He couldn't tell if what he was saying was doing anything to help. "I love you, Derek. You have the right to grieve. You have the right to be fucking pissed off." He placed his hand on Derek's chest. "You have the right to feel whatever it is you're feeling. And I fucking dare someone to tell you otherwise."

* * *

From inside the hospital, Stiles' first decree as the King Consort was that no news outlets could be playing on any of the hospital TVs that they may see. It upset Derek too much to see Lauren Williams already doing her best to undermine his reign. Stiles had, on more than one occasion suggested putting a hit out on her, but then said he was joking when he realized that Derek was wholeheartedly against that option. Stiles felt no remorse for his comment, though and Derek knew that. Stiles had already warned her about messing with his family and he never made idle threats.

After a week, Derek and Stiles agreed they couldn't continue to rule the territory from inside Isaac's hospital room. After a lengthy discussion with all of Isaac's doctors, they were forced to come to one conclusion: they had to give him the Bite. Stiles still had a few questions about the ethics of turning him, but Derek assured him that if Isaac hadn't already made it clear he wanted to become a Werewolf, he wouldn't even entertain the idea.

Stiles watched as Derek took Isaac's arm. Derek shifted. It was the first time Stiles had a chance to truly see his husband shift since becoming the Alpha. The features were far more intensely wolfish. He seemed to be more thickly muscular, too, both in and out of his shift. As he bared his fangs, Stiles had to look away when Derek bit into Isaac and held just long enough to ensure that the bite would take and then released.

"How long?" Stiles asked, looking back as Derek was gently setting Isaac's arm on the bed.

"Usually no more than 24 hours," Derek replied. "But it was just a new moon so it could take a little longer."

"I can stay with him. You can go make any press releases you need to," Stiles said, but Derek shook his head.

"When he wakes up, he might be scared or angry. He was trapped in a confined space when I found him. He'll need me to calm him down so he doesn't hurt any of the nurses or doctors. I can exert a certain amount of control as his Alpha, and it will be just enough to keep him subdued until we can bring him somewhere it will be safe for him to vent his frustrations," Derek replied.

Stiles nodded and sat back down, leaning against his husband as they waited for their son to finally wake up.

* * *

"And we're clear," a producer said, letting Lauren Williams know that the camera was no longer rolling and they were in commercial break. She picked up her cell phone, which had been stored safely under the news desk. There were a few Facebook notifications, some junk emails, and a text from Araya Calavera. It said only three simple words.  _We have him_.

She smiled coyly and took a sip of her water, letting it moisten her throat. The other two people at the table were making lighthearted comments about weekend plans. She let them carry on until the producer announced, "And we're live in three…two..." and mouthed the word "one" while pointing at them.

"We're back now discussing the continued absence of the Territory's new Alpha, Derek Hale," she announced pleasantly. She turned to the man on the panel. "Everett, before the break, you were trying to defend his absence. Why don't we let you finish what you were saying."

"Thank you," Everett began. "I just think that if the explosion was as bad and deadly as they say, then perhaps we should cut him a break. There were only four reported survivors and his entire family was there. Anybody would be reeling from that."

"But he's not just anybody," she countered. "He's our King. He's the head Alpha of all the Werewolves in the Territory. He is the most important piece on this chessboard and he's just absent!"

The man shook his head, notes of exasperation very plainly written on his face. Lauren smiled ever more pleasantly, knowing she was getting to him. "Werewolf Packs are incredibly tight-knit. We have no way of knowing—"

"Are you saying they have something to hide?" Lauren replied simply, cutting him off.

"Absolutely not!" he shouted. He was losing his temper. He was hers. "Don't you dare put words like that in my mouth!"

"If he has nothing to hide, then why not make an address to the Territory?" Lauren asked simply.

"You're coming very close to committing treason on live television!" Everett said. "I hope you realize it."

"We don't live in Medieval Europe," replied the other panelist. Lauren had almost forgotten that she was there. She had been too busy playing Everett like the fiddle he was.

The producer indicated that the show's time was nearing an end. "I think this is a good place to stop for tonight. Perhaps tomorrow we'll have a message from the King Who Wasn't There. Until then, from Fox News, I'm Lauren Williams. Good night."

Again, the producer announced that they were clear. "You really need to keep your anti-Werewolf views in check," Everett announced. "You're giving this network a bad name and stirring the pot between humans and Werewolves. Think about the damage you're doing. You're a public figure. You have a duty to help maintain the peace."

"Where was this calm argument when we were on the air, Everett?" She asked simply before turning to leave. She had an appointment with the Calaveras to keep.

Her driver knew where to take her. The moment she got in, she sent a message to Araya telling her that she was on her way. An hour and a half later, they were in the middle of nowhere. Several SUVs were parked around a Lincoln town car. Araya's men had guns pointed at a tall, skinny man who was shielding his eyes from the blinding headlights as Lauren walked up.

"You're sure he's the one responsible?" Lauren asked Araya.

"Positive," Araya replied quietly.

The ground was dry, but hard enough that her stilettos didn't sink in as she approached the trembling man. "So you are the one who bombed the Hale mansion."

"Y-yes," he stammered.

"Do you think you did good work?" She asked.

"Y-yes," he replied.

"There were survivors, you fucking moron," Lauren hissed. "Your actions have fucked up plans a decade in the making. The Werewolves are on high alert now. You may have exposed the Calaveras and endangered the last of the Argents. Who the fuck told you to do this?"

"I-I acted alone, ma'am," he said softly.

"So it's just  _your_  idiocy that I have to deal with," she said, turning around. "Thank God for small miracles." She ran her hand across the surface of the car, opening the door. "There's nothing like an American-made car… you know… back when there  _was_  an America… before the Werewolves and their sympathizers carved the country into pieces, grasping at power. There used to be a time when they lived in the shadows… afraid of being found out. Now they're plastered on the front of every magazine and there are even Werewolf-oriented TV shows. It's disgusting. From the moment this new system was enacted I have been working to undo it.

"I have used my position in the media to rally those who dislike the new system. The Calaveras have been rallying their forces in Mexico, gaining the strength they needed so that when I got the Hales at their weakest, they could strike!" she shouted, kicking her stiletto into the man. He tried to shield himself, but the restraints on his hands kept him from doing so. Lauren looked like a woman possessed. She was strong… incredibly strong. Each kick made the man reel in pain.

"There are only a few of them," he tried to plead. "They're weak now!"

"I can assure you that Derek Hale has already begun rebuilding his pack. You've done nothing but fuck us over!" She bent down, grabbing his clothes and moving him so that his torso was upright. "Give me your knife," she said to one of the Hunters. He handed it over instantly. Lauren eyed it for a few moments before kneeling down in front of the captured man. "So now to deal with you."

"Please don't kill me!" he begged.

"It's far too late for that," she said quietly. She brought her knife to the back of his neck and with a very precise cut, rendered him paralyzed, but alive. She then placed his head on the ground in front of the rear tire of the car and shut the door, ordering someone to drive over it repeatedly until he was dead. His head was unrecognizable after being squashed by the car's weight. She tensed at the scent of his blood, which was pooling in the sand. It had been a very long time since she had fed on a man, but she was no carrion eater. She'd hunt a different night. Upon confirming that he was, in fact, dead, she gave the order to make sure his body was never found as she got in a car with Araya to discuss what the next move ought to be.

"There cannot be a direct attack for a while," Araya said. "I know Derek Hale well enough to know that his guard is up."

"Do you think we could get to him through Stiles?" Lauren asked.

"We need to be careful of anything that could put Lord Stilinski in peril. The last thing we want is for them to rule both thrones at once," Araya cautioned.

"What if we overthrew Derek? We could easily goad Deucalion or Kali into challenging him. Their packs are much larger than the Hale Pack is now. They never would have challenged Talia. She was far too noble," Lauren said.

"Noble…" Araya said, perking up. "Why not try to elevate the True Alpha instead?"

"He's been friends with Stiles since they were in diapers," Lauren said. "He'd never do anything to challenge Stiles' husband."

"Derek was supposed to be the True Alpha of his generation. He killed an Argent and lost that birthright," Araya said. "Few know this story, but I happened to have tortured it out of Derek's uncle not too long before he died."

"Derek had an uncle?" This news was unheard of by Lauren and, she imagined, the rest of the Territory.

Araya smiled what Lauren was sure was supposed to be a kind smile, but on the old woman, it looked more sinister than anything else. "Talia had a younger brother. His name was Peter. Let us just say that his moral compass rarely ever pointed north. He broke away from the Hale Pack and killed an Alpha who had been recruiting in the hunting grounds of the Calaveras. I warned him never to return, but after what he did to Derek, Talia banished him from all three of the Territories and he went on the run. I do not know what he did between the time he was banished and the time I caught up with him, but I know he was much more powerful than any Alpha I had ever seen." She chuckled. Her thick accent and grandmotherly visage contrasted harshly with the cruelty in her words as she said, "That did not stop me from torturing him for information."

"What did you learn?" Lauren couldn't help but to ask.

Araya smiled more broadly, leaning forward. Her hand reached out and affectionately patted the side of Lauren's face. "Just because you and I have the same enemies, Señora Williams, does not mean that we are friends. We are temporary allies in a battle that has been going on for centuries. That does not mean that I will forever overlook what you are. You are a snake."

Lauren did her best to hide the fear that comment instilled in her. "I've been known to aggressively pursue an idea and sometimes resort to underhanded techniques to get what I want… but calling me a snake is a bit far, don't you think?" Lauren said.

"Let us not lie to one another," Araya said softly. "Or is honesty too difficult for you,  _lamia_?"

Lauren's breath caught in her throat. "How long have you known?"

"Long enough to do a little research," she replied. "If it weren't for the fact that you are more useful to me alive at the moment, you would be dead already."

Lauren did not like being in a position of weakness or vulnerability. She decided to turn this moment around. "Then if you know what I am, then you must have an idea what I'm capable of and that my kind are incredibly difficult to kill."

Araya smiled serenely. "I do," she said. "But do not underestimate the joy that Hunting brings to a member of the Calavera family!"

* * *

The orphanage was tensely quiet as Stiles returned. "Where's Isaac?" many asked. "Is he alright?"

"Isaac's fine," Stiles told everyone over and over. But he wasn't safe to have at home. Derek had already moved Laura to one safe house and was staying with Isaac in another until the fledgling Beta could learn control. Stiles knew that being away from Isaac was a small price to pay to know that he was alive and safe. In truth, he was only returning to the orphanage to get new clothes for them all. Derek was going to make his announcement to the Territory and needed Stiles at his side.

Stiles wanted to be at his side, but he wanted to be with his kids, too. "Can my dad make the announcement with you? Technically he's the Lord," Stiles had reasoned.

"I don't think I could do it without you," Derek admitted softly. Stiles felt like it was emotional extortion and Derek seemed to know this, because he looked ever more guilt-ridden. "Please… just be there with me through the announcement then you can go back home. I'll follow you as soon as Isaac has his shift under control."

That small task seemed much easier before Stiles had walked back into the orphanage, to be greeted by the worried eyes of the children and staff.

When he had finally managed to break away, Kira and Scott followed him. "How is Derek?" Scott asked.

"He's kind of lost right now. We're all still trying to process what even happened," Stiles replied numbly.

"And is Isaac really going to be alright?" Kira added.

Stiles froze. "Derek had to give him the Bite. When he woke up he was… feral. Worse than you ever were before you learned control, Scott. I didn't even recognize him. He kind of scared me a little. Then Derek had to subdue him and the look of terror on his face…" His voice caught in his throat.

"If anyone can teach him control, it's Derek," Scott told him.

"Is there anything you need from us?" Kira asked, but Stiles shook his head.

"I couldn't possibly ask any more of you. I should be back tonight, though. Thank you guys for everything," Stiles said. Kira hugged him then Scott did.

"I'm here for you, buddy. You know that, right?" he whispered.

Stiles nodded.

When he had finished packing more clothes, he got back in the car and drove to the safe house where Derek was keeping Isaac. Cora, Stiles learned was actually somewhere in Europe and Laura was in an underground bunker.

Isaac seemed tense, but otherwise alright. It seemed as if every part of his concentration was devoted to not killing Stiles. It hurt, but Derek assured him that it would pass. They got dressed and made their way to Capitol, where the press was assembled for the address.

Stiles didn't really pay attention to the words Derek said, though he knew they were inspirational and poignant by the crowd's reaction. He just kept looking at his husband and his father, both standing side-by-side. He realized that both of them looked different. Their features were harder, though it was more pronounced in Derek, who suddenly seemed incapable of smiling or ever being happy. There was a part of his husband that was gone forever. It was something that, no matter how much he wanted to, he could not fix and he hated it.

His eyes moved to the sky. It was a clear night and the moon was shining brightly. Stiles silently cursed whatever deities were actually up there and had singled out Derek in such a way.  _He doesn't deserve to be your punching bag!_  Stiles thought. As if it were a reply, Stiles suddenly remembered all the times he had bargained with these same deities to find a way to get him out of having to marry Derek. He remembered how fervently he had hated the man he now loved so much.

The crowd's loud applause broke Stiles out of his internal argument with the pantheon of gods that might exist. Derek stepped away from the podium and a moment later, Stiles' father followed. "So we're agreed then?" Lord John Stilinski asked. "I'll contact the Human generals and you'll rally the Alphas. See if you can reach out to the Kitsunes and any other thing that might exist. The Hunters are a threat to them all."

"I can't believe it's happening again," Derek said softly. "But yes."

"Wait," Stiles said, completely lost. "What's happening?"

"We're at war."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I did my best to not make you wait too long given the cliff hanger at the end of the last chapter! As always, I love and encourage feedback!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Potentially Triggering Subject Matter
> 
> Rape, Non-Con

Things were happening too fast for Stiles to process. There was a Werewolf guard with him at all times. There were no fewer than five Werewolf guards surrounding the property of the orphanage at any given moment. The news was filled with stories about various battles between Hunters and Werewolves and there were even more insidious rumors reaching his ears about a coalition of Alphas who had killed the members of their packs to become super-Alphas, and they had Deucalion as their leader.

The guard who had been assigned to Stiles was a tall, quiet black Werewolf named Vernon Boyd, though he preferred to go by just "Boyd". He reminded Stiles rather a lot of Kingsley Shacklebolt from Harry Potter, but when he had made that joke, Boyd only glared at him in a way that then reminded Stiles rather a lot more of Snape.

It was going on two and a half months since he had seen Derek in person and Scott and Kira had been watching over the Orphanage so much, that Stiles added them to the payroll as live-in guardians. Stiles sorely missed his husband and his son, who was busy travelling with Derek rallying the Alphas while Stiles was travelling throughout the territory with his father, amassing human support and trying to remind humans that life had been so much better after the integration of Werewolves into the general population, despite Lauren Williams' constant preaching otherwise.

The Werewolf guards that had been employed to protect them had also agreed to recognize Derek as their Alpha, thus increasing the power of the Hale Pack. It wasn't what it had been before the explosion, but it was growing.

After meeting with leaders in what had, before the first war, been Nevada, Lord John Stilinski retired back to his hotel. But Stiles was sick of hotels. He was sick of travelling. He was sick of being away from his kids. He was sick of not seeing his husband or his son. He was sick of all of it. But most of all, Stiles was sick of feeling lonely.

He tapped out a text message to Derek as he walked down the flashy streets of the downtown area of Reno. Boyd stayed a few paces behind him.

Stiles:  _I miss you. When am I going to see you and Isaac again? I honestly don't know how much longer I can go without you guys._

Derek:  _I'm not sure. I'm sorry._

Stiles stopped walking. He gripped his phone so tightly he feared the screen might crack. He wanted to scream as the tears fought to escape his eyes, but he didn't let them. Instead, he found a quiet bar and went in, despite Boyd advising him against it. "I need a drink," Stiles replied, doing it anyway.

He slammed back shots of whiskey as he tried to forget the aching numbness the separation from the ones he loved. Since he hadn't eaten and he was rather skinny, his second one made him tipsy, the third left him drunk, and the shots that came after that made his mental faculties grow increasingly impaired.

"Your Majesty," Boyd said in his soft, but firm voice, "I think you should return to your hotel."

"You're not the fucking boss of me," Stiles slurred in response. "I'm Derek's King Consort. I answer only to him.  _You_  can return to the hotel."

"I can't leave you unprotected, sir," Boyd replied in a measured tone. He was clearly annoyed with Stiles' antics. He grabbed Stiles' arm went to pull him away, but Stiles fought back.

"Leave me alone!" he snapped. "I just want to get drunk off my ass. If you want to go back to the hotel, then do so. I'll find my way back no problem."

"I'll wait outside," Boyd growled, rolling his eyes and Stiles plopped back down on the bar stool.

After a few more, he was communicating in grunts and crude gestures. There seemed to be three of everything. He knew he should stop drinking and sober up, but he knew that if he got sober again, he'd feel the crushing loneliness.

A man sat in the stool next to him. He was fairly handsome powerfully built with a strong jaw and dark eyes. He bowed respectfully to Stiles. "Your Majesty," he said. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"And who're you?" Stiles demanded impatiently. His words ran together in his drunken state, but the handsome man understood and smiled.

He bowed again. "My name is Ethan."

"Well, Ethan," Stiles replied. "It's great to meet you, but I'm going to return to drinking myself into oblivion."

"I don't mean to impose," Ethan began.

"Then don't," Stiles replied curtly.

"I just… you seem lonely and sad to me," he said softly, moving close. His hand brushed Stiles' arm, sending electricity up into his body that seemed to pool in his cock.

"I'm a married man," Stiles replied.

Ethan leaned forward. His hot breath swirled in the air, hitting Stiles' ear and sending shivers through him. "I don't see your husband…"

Stiles set down his glass and pulled out his credit card and placed it on the counter. The bartender swiped it and Stiles signed and threw down an exorbitantly large tip.

"Leaving?" Ethan asked.

"Yes," Stiles replied brusquely.

"How about I go with you… to keep you safe," Ethan suggested.

"I have a bodyguard," Stiles said dismissively.

"You have a beta," Ethan replied. His eyes flashed bright red. "I hear your tastes are more inclined toward Alphas." Stiles narrowed his eyes and tried to move, but swayed precariously, falling into Ethan's arms. "I'll keep you safe…" he purred into Stiles' ear.

It felt so great to be touched by another person. Stiles nodded. He was too far gone to realize that Ethan had taken him out the back, so Boyd would never even know he left. Ethan hailed a taxi and gave him the directions. Stiles didn't remember telling Ethan where he was staying, but thought that maybe it had come out. There were parts of the night that he didn't quite remember.

When they made it to his room, Ethan followed him in. Stiles collapsed on the bed and Ethan chuckled. "At least let me help you undress and tuck you in…"

Ethan wasted no time and Stiles was very quickly naked. A second Ethan came into the room. Stiles knew he had to be seeing double. The two Ethans looked at one another. The new one smiled, thought he one who was already there looked less enthused. "Allow us to serve Your Majesty," the new Ethan said.

"Aiden stop…" the old Ethan said softly.

"Come on, bro… teach me what all this gay stuff is really about. Who knows… maybe I'll like it," Aiden said. "Go ahead and get him ready. I'll have him after you…."

Stiles tried to struggle for a few minutes before Ethan's sweet kisses melted his resolve. "Fuck…" Ethan whispered as he pushed a finger into Stiles. The King Consort just lay there. His body was limp, but his cock was not.

Soon he felt Ethan's length push into him. Stiles felt Ethan's fingers go to his neck, then he felt something sharp and soon, he was looking up at Derek. "You said you didn't know when you'd be back…" Stiles said.

"I lied so I could surprise you," the response came. Stiles melted into it. He  _needed_  to make love to his husband.

"What are you doing?" Aiden asked.

"I'm making him think it's Derek," Ethan replied.

"That's not part of the plan. We were supposed to fuck him and leave!"

"Derek Hale is our target. We don't have to make it difficult on Stiles… isn't it bad enough that we're raping him?" Ethan said softly.

"You're not raping him! You're practically making love to him!" Aiden growled.

Ethan continued fucking the nearly unconscious Stiles until he came. Aiden took out his phone and snapped several photos of Stiles getting fucked. He grabbed a shot of his brother's semen dripping out of Stiles before he took his place. He had never had sex with a guy before, but Deucalion was adamant that both of them needed to do this, each of them doing it once separately and then once in their combined form. He was even more adamant that Derek be sent the photos.

Aiden was much less careful about it than his brother had been. He didn't care if he caused any damage. He didn't care whether or not it felt good to Stiles. It was tight and moist to him, so he closed his eyes and pretended he was fucking a girl. When he finished he pulled out with a satisfied smirk on his face. "You know what we have to do now," he told Ethan.

"We've never done that before… we could seriously hurt him!" Ethan complained. "To be honest… I've not been that big of a fan of this entire thing. There are ways to bring down enemies that don't include rape."

"It's not rape if he's pathetic and he fucking deserves it…" Aiden sneered.

"That's enough, Aiden!" Ethan growled.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Aiden demanded. He had never seen his brother so touchy.

"Because nobody  _deserves_  what we're doing to him!"

"He's just a human…"

"And I was just an Omega!" Ethan snapped. "You were too busy trying to be friends with the other members of that pack that you didn't see what the Alpha kept doing to me. He hid his scent so you couldn't smell him on me… but I didn't deserve that… and neither does Stiles. Don't you wonder what Deucalion's end-game is?"

"Duke saved us… or do you forget?"

"He didn't save us. He took us away from one monster just to keep us under the thumb of another… Kali and Ennis don't care about us. Duke  _really_  doesn't care. He used me because I'm gay and he used you because he knew that I'd do anything to protect you. He knew what I went through to protect you in the old Pack," Ethan said. "He made us monsters… and we just raped an innocent man. More specifically… we just raped the King's Mate. We committed treason and  _then_  some. Tell me, Aiden. Is it worth it?"

* * *

When Stiles woke up, he felt store all over. He felt the strange stretched feeling of having just made love with Derek, but the memories were coming back to him. It hadn't been Derek he made love with. It had been someone else… a different Alpha… two different Alphas. But they had become Derek at some point in the night. Hadn't they?

Suddenly, he felt sick to his stomach. As he started to get out of the bed, he felt a hand on him. "Try not to move."

He didn't recognize the voice. He opened his eyes and a guard who had been assigned to his father stood over him. Stiles pulled the blanket up over his body. "What the hell are you doing in my room?"

"His Majesty asked me to stay with you until he gets here," the guard said.

"No!" Stiles said. "Derek can't come. Please... I'm begging you! Tell him not to come."

"I'm sorry, sir… He's nearly here," the guard replied softly.

"Where's my dad?" Stiles asked.

"He had to go. He doesn't know about what happened, though. He thinks you're going to meet up with him in the next city on your tour," the guard answered.

_So Derek and a guard both know I cheated but my father doesn't… this could be worse,_ Stiles thought. He got up and showered.

When he went back into the larger room, Derek was already there, seated on a chair in the corner of the room, staring at the bed. Stiles couldn't say anything. He had cheated. It wasn't his place to say anything except that he was sorry, and even then, he didn't feel that would do justice to the grave insult he had given his husband.

"You smell like fear," Derek said as Stiles slowly pulled on his clothes. His voice was low and empty.

"Because I'm afraid," Stiles replied softly.

"What are you afraid of?" Derek asked calmly. There was no accusation in his voice. He still didn't look at Stiles and Stiles couldn't blame him.

Stiles sat on the bed. The way he was handling this was more painful than if he just yelled and screamed. He was dragging this out. He was making it unnecessarily unbearable. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, which were fixed firmly on a spot on the floor. "I'm afraid I'm going to lose you and Isaac."

Derek finally looked at him. His eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Why would you be afraid of that?"

"For the same reason you can't even look at me!" Stiles replied, the tears finally falling. "Because I cheated on you! I betrayed you and your trust… I betrayed my vows and I betrayed our family."

Finally Derek forced himself to look at Stiles. There was an air of confusion on his face. "No, my love," he said. "That's not what happened. Those two Alphas… their names are Ethan and Aiden. They belong to Deucalion's Pack. They were sent after you and ordered to rape you."

"I came back here willingly," Stiles said softly. "I brought them back with me. You can't excuse that…"

"You were lonely and drunk off your ass. I've already talked to the bartender. Ethan and Aiden tampered a bit with your memory, but even then, there's no way you could have consented," Derek said. "I thought I was keeping you safe by keeping my distance. I ended up putting you in more danger."

The version Derek was telling him didn't make sense. "No," Stiles whispered. He tried to remember what really happened, but could only seem to recall what the Alphas had put into his head. At the realization that Derek might actually be telling the truth, Stiles cried harder. "Can't I have just cheated?" he asked softly. It was an easier reality to accept than the one where he had been raped, likely multiple times. He wasn't sure if it was better that he couldn't remember it, or worse.

"I don't know what you're going through right now," Derek said softly. "But I'm here for you."

Stiles moved away from the bed where it happened. He felt like he needed to shower again. He wanted to make them pay. He wanted to crawl into a corner of his room and never emerge. He wanted to scream and rage. He wanted to move on like it never happened. His brain was a confusing mix of emotions. Stiles began shaking.

* * *

The house was grand and a very good fit for the person who owned it. As she walked through the house, the claws on her feet clacked against the marble tile, sounding like stilettos. As she made her way to Deucalion's study, she could hear the twins coming in the front door.

"Tweedledee and Tweedledum are here," she said softly as she entered the room.

Deucalion smiled. "Kali, just because you have claws doesn't mean you should so casually bare them."

Ennis joined them before the twins did. Kali perked up as he walked into the room. She had always loved Ennis. He was handsome, strong, and a great leader. He fought hard during the last war and she fought alongside him, despite Julia's cautions that he would prove dangerous to her.

"You're just jealous," Kali had replied, stealing a kiss from her Emissary. "He's the rugged, tumble around and have a ton of fun kind of hot. But I chose you."

Killing Julia had been the most difficult thing she had ever done. It was the reason Deucalion didn't question her loyalty. Julia had been her Mate. When Deucalion asked her to kill her pack and absorb their power, she didn't question. When he told her to kill her Emissary… to rip apart the woman she had taken as a Mate, it was physically agonizing. She felt every pain she caused her. Deucalion's plan required it, though. Something had to be done about the Hales. They had become too big for their own good. But even together, they were nowhere near powerful enough to challenge the Hale Pack. They had to become more.

It was a shame that Talia died. She was a True Alpha and a wise and fair one, at that. But she was not the person to lead during this war. She was a necessary casualty. And now, so was her son.

Ennis folded his arms across his powerful chest and winked across the room at Kali, who smiled back. Ethan and Aiden rolled their eyes, but Deucalion chuckled. "It warms my heart to see love brewing within my pack."

"You don't see anything," Kali said sharply, straightening up. She couldn't afford to be seen as the lovesick bitch. She was Deucalion's right-hand.

"That's not always true," Deucalion replied, taking Kali's remark with a bit of good-natured humor. It was how she was. If she wasn't joking with him, it meant she was angry at him. "I see that Ethan and Aiden have replied, so that means they must have succeeded in destroying the mate bond between Stiles and Derek."

The twins stared at the floor silently. Kali narrowed her eyes and Ennis cocked his head. "You did manage to complete the task, didn't you?" she added.

"We both raped him," Ethan said.

"Any of us could have raped him," Ennis growled. "The point was that you were supposed to go the extra mile. Only your combined form would be powerful enough to break the already strained tether between their souls."

"We know the finer points of the plan, thank you!" Ethan snapped.

"Then why didn't you carry them out?" Deucalion asked.

"I tried to, sir," Aiden said. "He got… sentimental."

Deucalion's face shifted from one twin to the other. Though he was blind, he didn't need to see the way Ethan trembled. He could smell the terror radiating off of him like the stench of decay from a corpse. "You remembered what it was like when your old pack fucked you," Deucalion said. His voice was soft. It made it all the more terrifying.

"I'm sorry sir," Ethan whispered. "But you've never been raped. You don't know what it's like…"

"I would give your ass to every male werewolf on the planet without a second thought. If I gave the word, Ennis would tear your ass apart and then kill you. Just because I saved you from that pack does not mean you are safe in this one. I do not suffer cowards," he said. His voice was low and terrifying.

"W-we will finish what we st-started, sir," Ethan said.

"It's too fucking late for that!" Kali spat. "Derek's already on high alert and Stiles is probably protected by every enchantment his Emissary can put on him."

"W-we can find another w-way," Ethan stammered. "I'm s-sorry, sir. I can d-do this…"

"I don't think you can," Deucalion replied. "And now I'm going to have to attack Stanisław Hale a different way."

Kali's head jerked so fast her neck cracked. "I thought we were going after the Alpha."

"Stiles poses a much more severe threat," Deucalion replied.

"He's just a human," Ennis interjected skeptically.

"He's a symbol. He's a link between the humans and the Werewolves. When he falls, Derek will fall. And when the Hales are finally out of the way, I can lead our kind to its rightful place above the humans," Deucalion said.

* * *

Derek didn't leave Stiles' side. The human had mentally unraveled as the gravity of what the Alphas did to him truly hit. He didn't like being alone, but he also didn't like close proximity. He would build a pillow fort in bed to keep Derek at a distance. It was as if they were at step one in their relationship. Derek didn't blame Stiles, but he also didn't know how to help.

Stiles wouldn't talk to anyone because he was ashamed and didn't want it getting out. Derek offered to find him a counselor who would be able to help him in confidence, but Stiles refused. Derek felt lost.

Isaac felt lost, too. To him, he'd lost both his dads because Stiles refused to come out of his room most days and Derek came out only to get food that Stiles wouldn't eat.

"I want to see him," he insisted after the third month of this behavior.

"Isaac, he's not ready," Derek replied.

"He's my dad. He's been there for me almost my entire life. He's hurting. I can help!" Isaac insisted.

Derek's voice dropped to a growl so low that only a fellow Werewolf had even a chance of hearing it. "He was raped, Isaac. You marching in there could do much more harm than good!"

"And me staying out here isn't doing anything. I can help! Forgive me, Derek… but I've known him longer. I know him better," Isaac replied.

Derek couldn't deny that hearing it hurt, no matter how true it was. "If you make things worse, Isaac… I swear to God they haven't invented a definition of grounded that could adequately describe what you would be in."

"I told Stiles to have faith in you," Isaac said sharply. "I'd appreciate the same courtesy."

"You told him to have faith in me and look where it got him!" Derek replied, pointing at the door.

"This wasn't your fault, Derek," he said. "And as long as you think it is, you're never going to be able to help him." He pushed past his Alpha and into the room where his dad was wrapped up in the blanket like a human burrito. It was the first time he had seen Stiles since the day of the explosion. He felt his heart clench in his chest. "It's me," he said softly.

"Go away," Stiles said, not even peeking out from under the blanket.

"No," Isaac said firmly. "It's scaring me to see you like this and I don't know what you went through but—"

"No," Stiles said. "You don't. And I don't even know, either. I only know that two Alphas raped me while I was drunk off my ass and then fucked with my memory so I would think I cheated on Derek."

Isaac sat on the side of the bed. "They did it because you're strong," he said softly. "They did it because they knew that you alone have the power to unite our Territory. They did it because you have the gift of being able to see the potential in everyone and you make them want to be better and do better. They wanted to break you  _because_  you're good."

"Then they succeeded," Stiles said, curling up into a tight ball.

"Maybe you're right," Isaac said softly. "Because I don't know you, like this…"

"I can't—I won't talk to you about this," Stiles said firmly. "You're my son."

"Then talk to Derek. He's your husband," Isaac replied, getting up and walking out of the room.

He was greeted with an ominous glare from Derek and returned one that said "Well at least  _I_  tried!"

"You're grounded," Derek growled as he went back into the room and closed the door behind him. "Stiles, I need you to eat."

"Are you and Isaac trying to team up against me?" Stiles replied, peeking his head out from under the blanket.

"No," Derek answered honestly. "But I'm scared to death you're going to die from malnutrition. I can't lose you, Stiles. And I don't know how to help you because you won't talk to me."

"Because I don't know how to say what I'm thinking," Stiles replied.

"Try," Derek urged. "Even if it doesn't make sense… I love you. I'm here for you."

Stiles still didn't look at Derek, but he did start to talk. "I haven't been able to talk to you about it because it  _is_  partially my fault this happened."

"Stiles no," Derek said firmly. "Victims often blame themselves. You didn't do anything to bring this on you."

"But I did, Derek. The only part of my memory that is crystal clear is inviting them to my hotel room because I was lonely and I missed you. I intended on making a bad decision. I sent Boyd away," Stiles said. "Once we got to the room, it spiraled out of my hands. But the initial part… that was my fault."

"I don't blame you," Derek said. "I avoided you for nearly three months. I kept you away from me and Isaac thinking it would keep you safe."

Stiles closed his eyes. He looked exhausted as he sighed deeply. "Derek… please stop trying to absolve me of guilt. Get mad at me. Tell me that what I did was an asshole move."

"No," Derek replied. "Because a victim is  _never_  at fault."

"I'm not a victim," Stiles snapped.

"You know what?" Derek said. "You're right. You're not a victim. You are what you have always been. You are what makes you and I the most similar. You're a survivor, like me. You helped me with my PTSD and the aftermath of what I went through. Now let me help you with this."

Stiles felt a sudden surge of frustration. "I don't feel like my body belongs to me anymore," he admitted. "And now that I know they fucked with my memories, I don't even feel like I'm alone in my own head. I don't know how to move on from this."

"I can get you professional help," Derek said. "Just like you did for me." He saw Stiles' hand inch closer to his. He slowly took it in his hand, feeling his husband's skin for the first time in months. Stiles took his other hand and moved the pillows that separated them and so slowly and hesitantly that it crushed Derek, Stiles summoned the courage to rest his head against Derek's shoulder. It was almost more contact than he could stand and he trembled slightly.

"I love you," he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So not only is Lauren Williams out to get them, but Deucalion and his pack are too. Thanks for reading and thanks for your patience. Please leave me feedback!


	13. Chapter 13

The road to recovery was a difficult one. The psychiatrist Derek hired kept asking Stiles to talk about it, but Stiles didn't know what to say since his memory of the event was so muddled. Then the psychiatrist asked him to talk about how he felt, which annoyed him. "How do you think I feel? I'm fucking pissed!"

"Anger is certainly an understandable reaction to what happened to you," he replied.

"I just want to be a normal family. I want to have my husband and my son," he said. "I want to have a quiet life. I never wanted to be in the spotlight. I never wanted to become a King Consort or whatever."

"It sounds like you've made a lot of compromises to get to where you are," the psychiatrist said.

"I just miss being in my orphanage and taking care of my kids. I haven't even seen them in I don't know how long. I miss the intimacy I had with Derek. I miss how close Isaac and I were," Stiles confessed.

"Being intimate with your partner is difficult after what you went through. Some people find that self-exploration helps to break down the barriers that are normal to experience," the psychiatrist suggested.

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Your suggestion for how to deal with this is to just jerk off?"

"No," the psychiatrist said slowly. "I was just suggesting you help re-establish sex as a form of intimacy."

Stiles closed his eyes and sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's not the intimacy I was referring to, dude. Derek and I used to talk about everything. We weren't always like that, but Derek is the most important person in my life now. It's hard to believe I used to hate his guts. I hated him so much I got nauseous just thinking about him and now I can't imagine my life without him. But this thing that happened to me… it changed us."

"How do you mean?"

"He treats me like I'm broken. I feel like I'm not his anymore and I know he probably doesn't mean it. He probably thinks that I  _want_  to be handled delicately but I don't. I want things to go back to normal," replied.

"Why not just tell him?"

"Because I'm afraid I'll hurt his feelings. He's been really attentive, but I am tired of being handled with kid gloves," Stiles said. "Things could be as bad as they get and one look from Derek will make them better. I'm his Mate. But he's my…"

"It sounds like he's your everything," the psychiatrist said, finishing Stiles' sentence. "It's okay to rely on him for support during this time, but when we put people on pedestals too high, it becomes even harder for both parties when they inevitably fall off."

"What are you saying?" Stiles asked.

"I'm saying you need to learn how to rely on yourself again," he said. "Learn to feel at-home in your own skin again. Derek can definitely help with that, but it needs to be led by you."

"You're talking about masturbation again, aren't you?" Stiles asked quietly.

The psychiatrist chuckled. "Not necessarily, but that could help."

"And if it doesn't?"

"I'm also going to prescribe you an anti-depressant and an anti-anxiety medication. Take the anti-depressant every day and the anti-anxiety as needed," he said, scribbling something down on a square blue pad and handed the paper to Stiles. "And I want to see you once a week until you start making progress."

* * *

"How is he?" Scott asked as he ate. Derek, Kira, Isaac, and an old friend, Alan Deaton, were seated around the table. Stiles was gone. When Derek had asked where he was going, he replied only with the word "Out."

"I'm honestly not sure," Derek replied. "He's avoiding me."

"I've been looking up protective spells and runes," Deaton said. "They may be able to help keep him safe, the downside would be that all of you would be physically unable to touch him."

"How would that be any different than what I'm going through now?" Derek muttered.

"Hey! It's not his fault! You can't blame him for wanting his space," Kira interposed.

"I know," Derek said, feeling guilty for even thinking it. "I want him to get better in his own time, but it's hard for me. I'm so afraid that anything I do is going to remind him of the attack."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?" Isaac asked.

"He shuts me out," Derek said. "He started going to therapy, but he won't tell me anything about what he's working on in there. He's stopped putting up the pillow fort between us at night, though."

"That's progress, though, isn't it?" Scott asked.

"I guess…" Derek said.

"It feels weird talking about him like this," Isaac interjected. "Is there any news about the war?"

"I'm being attacked on all fronts, it seems. Lord Stilinski is having pretty good luck with recruiting people for the human army, but Deucalion is challenging me for supremacy and since I promised Stiles I wouldn't leave him again, I have no way of recruiting people to my cause," Derek replied.

"How much support does Deucalion have?" Deaton said

"A lot," Derek replied miserably.

"Have you talked to Satomi?" Deaton asked.

"Satomi and her Pack are all Buddhists. It'd be disrespectful to ask her to fight with us!" Scott said.

"I wasn't thinking we should ask her to fight. I think if we could convince more packs that our side is the side of peace, we stand a chance of winning. Satomi would be instrumental in that. Her pack is one of the largest in the world," Deaton explained.

Derek seemed detached from the conversation. His mind was with his Mate. Despite the fact that he needed to, he couldn't think about war. Deaton instantly recognized the look on the Alpha's face. It was the same look Talia would get when she was preoccupied. "Derek, there's an old phrase… 'When you're going through Hell, keep on going.' Stiles will eventually get better, but he'll never be the same as he was. What he went through it—"

"What does it do?" Stiles asked defensively as he sat a few items on the counter. Everyone at the table jumped. None of them had even sensed him walking in, they had been so engrossed in their conversation. His eyes scanned every one of the faces. None of them looked at him. "It's wonderful to know that what I went through has become great table conversation for you all!" His voice was so acidic it could have melted right through them. Stiles pulled out his phone. "Perhaps I should just call Lauren Williams and tell her what happened. Then the entire Territory can be in on the joke!"

"Nobody said it was a joke, Stiles!" Scott said quickly.

"We can't imagine what you went through," Kira added.

"You're right," Stiles snapped. "You can't. You are supposed to be my best friends. All of you are the people I am supposed to be able to lean on and now…"

"You can," Isaac said softly, getting up and walking toward Stiles, who put his hands up and backed away. He couldn't handle physical contact in that moment. His heart was racing. He needed air. The room was beginning to spin and he turned and left, walking out into the play yard.

Tears burned his cheeks as he stumbled to the swing set, trying to force his lungs to fill up with air, but only receiving short shallow gulps of it.

Derek waited a few moments before coming to join him. "Stiles I'm so sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean…"

Stiles cut him off. "Didn't mean to talk so openly about what I'm dealing with or didn't mean for me to walk in on it?"

"I deserved that," Derek said, sitting on the swing next to him.

The air was thick with the silence that stood between them. Finally, Stiles spoke. "I want out, Derek."

"Out of what?" Derek asked.

"Everything," Stiles said. "I am tired of being a monarch and a leader to the territory. I'm tired of the secrets and the politics. I'm tired of being a target. I'm tired of feeling like I did something wrong to cause what happened… Of not really feeling like I'm a man anymore because of it. I'm just exhausted and I can't keep doing this."

"Of course you're still a man. And you didn't cause what happened to you, Stiles. I thought your counselor was helping you with this?"

"He is, but there's still that voice deep down in my head telling me that it was my fault. It tells me that if I had fought harder, maybe it wouldn't have happened," Stiles said.

"They were two Alpha Werewolves, Stiles. If you had fought, they would have killed you," Derek replied.

Stiles began to cry. "I feel trapped. I'm trapped in my broken, dirty body and I'm trapped in this situation!" He drew a rapid circle with his index finger in the air between them.

"Do you want out of our marriage?" Derek asked. His hesitancy told Stiles that he was afraid of the answer.

"Sometimes," Stiles mumbled. "But only because it would mean that I'd be free to fade into the background. Not because I don't love you. I do."

The padding Stiles had placed around his answer didn't keep it from feeling like a blow straight to Derek's chest. "Our lives have been one big shit storm," Derek said. "But if you can hold on a little longer… I can fix it."

"No you can't," Stiles said. "Not this. You have open rebellion within the Werewolf community. If you think the other supes aren't choosing sides too, you're insane. And even if we win this time, it's going to keep happening. There will be other Hunters. There will be other Alphas like Deucalion. This will never stop."

"If I don't fight, think of all the innocent people who will die," Derek said. "I can't let that happen. I  _have_  to protect this territory. You and I swore oaths. The Hale Family must protect this territory. As the Alpha, though, I can release you from your oath to the territory and we can get a divorce and you will be free. I just want you to be happy."

"You and Isaac are my family. I can't lose either of you. I just… I can't keep living like this," Stiles paused for a moment before he pointed at the large buildings that comprised the orphanage. "This was all I wanted to do my entire life. I just wanted to keep kids safe and help them find loving homes. I looked at the roster of kids who are living here now and I didn't recognize a good third of them because I've not been involved in the operations for so long. I'm not doing my job to help them."

"I need help, Stiles," Derek said with a sigh. "I don't know what else to do. I don't know how to help you and I don't know how to help my Territory. Please… tell me what you need from me because I feel like the world's worst husband."

"You're not," Stiles replied. "I am." He reached over and grabbed Derek's hand. It felt strange to be touching him like that again. "I'm trying to get better and move past this. I really am."

"I know you are," Derek said. "I didn't mean to imply you weren't. But I'm concerned that you're trying for the wrong reasons."

"What do you mean by that?" Stiles demanded defensively.

"Do you want to get better for you or do you want to get better for me and Isaac?" Derek asked timidly.

"Ah," Stiles said. "And how would my answer change anything?"

"Because Isaac and I already know that you love us. But you don't seem to love yourself, Stiles and that concerns me. If you want to take a step back from your duties, nobody will blame you," Derek said.

"Lauren Williams will blame me," Stiles countered.

"Lauren Williams is a fucking bitch," Derek replied darkly. "And I will deal with her in due time."

"I'm dead weight for you right now," Stiles admitted. "I've kept you away from your responsibilities and the tide of the war is turning… I'm sorry, Derek."

"I'll make up for it. I just need to know that you're alright before I can focus on that," Derek replied, squeezing Stiles' hand softly.

"If you can help me feel safe again, I can do the rest," Stiles promised.

"I can help with that," Deaton said, making his way across the dimly-lit play yard. "I can teach you the ways of my order. I can teach you to use nature to protect yourself and your family,"

"Isn't that your job?" Stiles asked.

Deaton chuckled. "It is."

"Then why teach me?"

"Part of what I do is help to heal nature. I can teach you those same skills and maybe you can use them on yourself. It's all connected, you know," Deaton replied softly.

"You sound like a hippie," Stiles said dismissively.

"The offer still stands."

* * *

"Stiles, come here for a sec," Derek called from a room he had taken over as his office. It was not too far from Stiles' own office so he got up from his desk and headed down the hallway.

The anti-depressants were starting to work and he at least felt as though he had a slight grip on the world around him. The sharp edge that had been attached to the very act of living seemed to have dulled moderately and he was catching up on the backlog of work that had built up in his depressive slump. "What is it?" Stiles asked, standing in the doorway.

Derek turned his monitor to face Stiles. "My family has vaults all over the world filled with certain relics that hold remarkable power the supernatural communities that exist. We also have a large amount of art that has been acquired through the ages."

"As fascinating as this is," Stiles said wearily. "Why am I getting this lesson in Hale family history? I'm really busy."

"When I sent Cora to safety, it was to an area with one of the vaults. I asked her to look around it to see if there was anything in it that could help us. She sent this to me today. It's a pretty old painting… beginning of the 17th Century… but who does this look like?" Derek said, letting Stiles' brusque reply roll off of him.

Stiles stepped up closer to the screen, examining the image. He wasn't trained in art history so he had no technical eye for this sort of thing, but as he studied the face, the resemblance was remarkable. "Holy fuck," he whispered. He was looking at a painting of a woman who looked  _exactly_  like Lauren Williams.

* * *

"Allison?" Cora called.

"Yes?" the Huntress replied absentmindedly.

"Do you still have a way to access your family's Bestiary? I've heard the Argent Bestiary is the most complete book of its kind ever compiled," Cora said.

"Yeah. My grandfa—I mean Gerard converted t to a flash drive before he died. I keep it on me at all times," Allison said, moving closer to the Werewolf princess.

She hadn't actually used the word "princess" in regards to Cora Hale in a while. Both women agreed that it felt bizarre because Cora acted nothing like the stereotypical "princess". "Do you mind helping me research something?" Cora asked.

"Certainly," Allison replied. Her hand rose to a pendant around her neck. She jerked it and it split in half, revealing the aforementioned flash drive. Cora pushed her laptop closer to Allison who inserted the drive into the port. "What are you looking for?"

"A creature that can live for a  _very_  long time. Longer even than Werewolves and perhaps as long as Kitsune," Cora said.

"That describes quite a few creatures," Allison sighed. "Any more details?"

"The only suspected one is female and kind of pretty… in a needs-to-be-punched-in-the-face sort of way," Cora said, her eyes scanning over each page as Allison scrolled. Allison stifled a laugh. It sounded somewhere between a gasp and a snort. Cora smiled, happy she had amused her friend.

"Mostly demons and tricksters remain then," Allison said. "A lot of Greek mythology, actually."

"It's not a Siren," Cora added. "My mom dealt with one long ago. You can hear them miles away… Any that are good at concealing themselves?"

"There's one," Allison said doubtfully. "But our mythology says she was killed centuries ago."

"Your mythology can be wrong," Cora said, not intending to sound quite as bitchy as she did.

"Her name was Lamia. She was cursed by Hera or Zeus… different myths varied on the details," Allison said, forgiving that momentary lapse. "But she became a demon that preyed on children… or men… again, the myths vary. She's part snake or shark…"

"Let me guess… the myths vary?" Cora asked, a wry smile on her face.

"You guessed it," Allison said.

"So how do we kill her?" Cora asked.

"We can stab her and see how that works," Allison said. "Who do you think she is?"

"Lauren Williams," Cora said.

Allison leaned over and pulled an arrow from the quiver and examined the point. "I'll weaken her… but I think your brother or his husband deserve the final blow."

* * *

Stiles was in his office with Deaton. A various herbs were sprawled across the desk and Stiles was trying to remember how to create the protection spell that Deaton had taught him the previous day.

The bowl sat in the center of a large celtic five-fold knot with various runes and candles of different colors and wax types burning in the four cardinal directions. Stiles picked up a sprig of Echinacea to add to the mix already in the bowl. Deaton cleared his throat. "Adding that will turn this entire orphanage into a steaming crater."

"You know what, Professor Snape," Stiles snapped sarcastically. "I can't concentrate with you staring me down!"

"And I can't stop watching you because you might kill us all. You are unleashing the most basic powers of nature and bending them to your will. This is next level stuff I'm trying to teach you. Mastering these skills makes you not only an Emissary but it will turn you into an Enforcer," Deaton said. "So mistakes are not an option."

"What the hell is an Enforcer?" Stiles asked, thinking he was being taken for a ride.

Deaton sighed and grabbed two bay leaves, adding them to the bowl. A large circle of light enveloped them and he leaned back in the chair. "As the various supernatural creatures became aware of one another, they sometimes, as you can imagine, disagreed. The Emissaries saw the dangers that this held and a select few of them as well as leaders within the various groups of supernatural creatures used combined magic to create what was essentially supernatural police. They were called Enforcers and their job was to protect those who needed protection, either from Hunters who did not follow the Code or supernatural creatures that were intent on war between the species."

"And you want me to become one of these Enforcers?" Stiles clarified.

"I think you would be a very good one," Deaton said. "But whether or not you become one is entirely up to you."

"So you went from Severus Snape to Mr. Miyagi in almost no time flat," Stiles joked.

* * *

Stiles had never known there to be so many guards in one place before. There were layers upon layers of them. Many were hidden, many more were not. He stood to the right of Derek, in between his husband and his son. His heart raced, pounding in his chest like the wings of a hummingbird. It was his first time out in public in any official royal capacity. None of the public, however, knew that this was happening.

Satomi was the first to arrive. She smiled serenely. "Are you ready for the potential outcome, Your Majesty?" she asked Derek softly by way of greeting.

"I already know what Deucalion will say," Derek said, embracing her before she could give the customary bow. She had been like an aunt to him growing up, but that didn't seem to mean as much anymore. Deucalion, Ennis, and Kali had once been like aunts and uncles to him before, too. "He just wants the theatrics before he says it."

"Always one for a performance, Deucalion," Satomi said, joining the line, standing on the left of Derek.

"I still don't think Isaac should be here," Stiles said. This wasn't the first time he had made this point and he didn't mind making it a few more times.

"Isaac is the Prince and heir to the Territory and the Crown," Satomi said. "He not only has the right to be here, but he has the duty." Stiles would not argue with her. He trusted her wisdom, just as Derek did. That didn't mean he wasn't still afraid for Isaac, who was the most likely target.

"Stiles, you have to calm down. They're going to smell your fear from miles away," Derek said softly.

"Considering what they did, you can imagine why," Stiles replied bitterly. "Is Deaton coming?"

No sooner had the question left Stiles' lips, Deaton's smooth voice could be heard across the clearing. He was soon joined by Scott and Kira, who was representing the Council of Kitsunes.

They stood together for a while in silence. "They're coming," Derek said softly and Stiles saw the twins first. One of them winked suggestively at Stiles who fought the urge to run and hide. Stiles felt Derek's fingers snake to his own and give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Ennis and Kali appeared next and then Deucalion with his red and white stick to help him. "Is it the King's practice to bring an army to a peace negotiation?" he asked. His smooth voice seemed almost melodious.

"You fought alongside my mother. You fought the Hunters with me in the first war," Derek began. "And yet now, when I need to once again fight for the preservation of our right to even exist, you rise against me. Why?"

Stiles loved seeing Derek like this. Deucalion seemed to share that sentiment. He smiled. "So much like your mother," he said.

"Answer the question, Deucalion," Derek ordered. Stiles looked over to see his eyes glowing bright red. "I have enough evidence to execute you and your entire Pack on charges of Treason, as it is. Do not make this worse for yourselves."

"I was under the impression we were promised safe conduct," Kali quipped antagonistically.

Stiles felt his rage begin to boil. "Then conduct yourself in a manner that shows you  _deserve_  safe conduct, Kali," he ordered. Satomi smirked and looked over at him.

Kali's eyes flashed dangerously. "How dare you!" she snarled.

Deucalion put his hand out, forbidding her to retaliate. "Forgive her," Deucalion pleaded. "She was named for the Goddess of destruction. She has a bit of a rage problem. But to answer your question,  _Your Majesty_ , I do not think you deserve to rule over all of us."

"He is the legitimate heir of Talia Hale," Satomi said. "We all pledged our loyalty and obedience to the Hale line. You have proven yourself a liar  _and_  a traitor, Deucalion. None of you have any honor."

"What the hell do you know about honor, Satomi?" Kali demanded. "Need I remind you how you became the Alpha of your pack?"

"I recall the event quite clearly myself, thank you," she said dangerously. "You would do well not to forget it. Just because I believe in peace, do not take that to mean that I will not do what it takes to preserve peace. You pose as much a threat to the safety of our kind and our way of life as the Calaveras."

"And we will deal with you in the exact same manner, we will deal with them," Derek warned. Stiles saw one of the twins waver. Slowly he approached the line that sided with Derek.

He knelt in front of the King. When he looked up, tears were in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty," he said.

Stiles could tell the remorse was genuine, even though he still held nothing but hatred for the man on his knees in front of him. "What are you doing, Ethan?" the Werewolf's twin demanded, his voice seeming squeezed through layers of contempt.

"They threatened me," Ethan said. "They threatened to kill me…"

"Ethan, stop!" the other twin ordered.

Derek put his hand up. "Let him speak."

"They thought they could destabilize your regime from the inside by severing your connection to your Mate," Ethan confessed.

"Mate connections are sacred to Werewolves," Satomi said in disgust. "Deucalion, how dare you?"

"I'm willing to put the survival of my kind far above the life of a human," Deucalion replied, the last word rolling off his tongue like it tasted bad.

"We are willing to protect all of life, regardless of their species," Deaton said. "The problem is you."

"You're no Enforcer," Ennis said, speaking for the first time since his appearance.

"No he's not," Stiles said confidently. "But I am."

"You're supposed to remain human. It's a part of the contract made with the Territory," Kali said, suddenly wary.

"The other part of that contract was that Derek's family remain in power," Stiles quipped. "But don't worry. I'm still a human. I'm more… Human 2.0."

"I don't see any of your herbs and potions," Kali teased.

"I actually don't need them at the moment," Stiles said. "Because Deaton and I warded the clearing. Every single person standing in this line has been given a rune that will protect them from the effects of the warding." Stiles reached into his pocket. "If I place this in the ground beneath my feet, all unmarked supernatural creatures will lose their powers forever."

"We are giving you one opportunity to stand down… forever, and accept our punishment, which will be much more lenient than what we will do if you try to attack," Derek said.

"What are your terms?" Deucalion asked pragmatically.

"You are to all sacrifice your Alpha status and become Omegas. I'm also banishing you all from the continent. You will each be required to go to a different part of the world and if I hear so much as a whisper of you having gone back to Alpha status, I will have Stiles strip your powers for good," Derek replied.

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Kali snapped.

"Two of your Pack raped my Mate," Derek snarled in response. "The only reason I'm allowing you to live is because I was told I would lose the support of several Packs by killing you outright. If I were you, I would just accept the more than generous terms that were negotiated on your behalf."

"And what will you do if we don't?" Deucalion asked.

"I'll activate the wards and then we will kill you on the spot," Stiles said. "Personally, I'm rooting for that option."

A smile curled Kali's lips. "I'm going to kill you first, Stiles."

"Is that your final answer?" Derek asked, bracing himself.

Deucalion smirked. "Did you truly think I came all the way out here just to surrender?" He began to shift. His skin became gray and almost stone-like. His eyes turned black with large red irises. Stiles felt his breath catch in his throat as the other members of the Pack began shifting, too.

"Do it now," Derek whispered and Stiles pulled the activating rune out of his pocket and placed it in the ground beneath is feet. Sparks began to fly out in a spiral formation, they Werewolf symbol of revenge. Derek smirked and glanced over at Stiles. "Nice touch."

"I figured it was appropriate," Stiles said proudly.

The spiral reached Ethan who fell unconscious the moment it got to him, showing Stiles that it worked. It continued to move out, getting Aiden, then Kali, then Ennis before reaching Deucalion. He put his foot out and stepped on the spark, putting it out. "Why didn't it work?" Kira asked.

"I have no idea," Stiles asked.

"Because I'm the Demon Wolf," Deucalion replied. "And your little magic tricks are not going to affect me."

"What do we do now?" Scott asked.

"I didn't plan for this," Derek admitted.

Stiles stepped forward. "It's all of us against him."

Deucalion smiled. "I like my odds."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: THanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you thought!


	14. Chapter 14

"Is there a backup plan?" Satomi asked.

"That  _was_  the backup plan," Deaton muttered quietly.

"Can we surround him with mountain ash?" Isaac asked.

"It would contain him, but only humans would be able to try and injure him after that," Deaton replied. "And neither Stiles nor I have the power without making certain sacrifices…" They all knew that the sacrifices would mean killing innocent people, something none of them were willing to do.

The werewolves all shifted. Stiles heard the claws as they extended. He slowly moved back, behind Derek and pulled Isaac. "I want to fight," Isaac replied in protest, pulling his arm from the human's grip.

"Absolutely not," Derek growled, now transformed into his fierce Werewolf form. "Protect your dad."

"But you're my dad," Isaac argued.

"Protect your  _human_  dad," Derek clarified.

Stiles was wracking his brain to figure out anything he could do with his limited new Enforcer knowledge. He didn't have nearly enough time for the more powerful. He remembered there was a bag full of the most toxic substances known to werewolves at the southern edge of the clearing. "Isaac, cover me. I need to get a few things, but once I have them, run," he said.

"What are you doing?" Derek asked.

"Hopefully saving our lives," Stiles said. He instructed Deaton to put a mountain ash barrier around Deucalion. He nodded and immediately went to do it as Stiles leaned forward and kissed Derek's cheek, which was fuzzier than normal from the Werewolf transformation. "I love you."

"Stiles…" Derek called as the human ran. Stiles didn't look back. He knew if he did and saw the look of pain on his husband's face, he wouldn't be able to do what he needed to do.

The messenger bag was concealed behind some shrubs. Stiles felt his knee burst in pain as he fell hard onto it in his rush to get what he needed together. He winced, but refused to let it distract him from his task. "You need to get away from here," he told his son, once he knew he was safely away from Deucalion. "What I'm going to do… if you're too close, it will kill you. Help Derek evacuate the area."

Isaac began to cry. "Why do I feel like I will never see you again if I do?" he asked.

"Because what I'm about to do is dangerous. I'm not going to be fast enough to get out of the radius in time, but I can't let any of the werewolves do it, either. They'd never survive and their lives are more important right now," Stiles said.

"But your life is important to me!" Isaac said.

"Then promise me you'll only remember the good things about me," Stiles replied softly, his voice breaking. "Promise me you won't remember the times I was weak or a failure…"

"Please don't…" Isaac begged, sounding so much like the boy he was when Stiles first met him that it nearly broke his heart.

"I have to, Isaac. I can actually do something useful to help. I owe it to the territory and to my family to do it," Stiles replied.

At this point, Isaac was crying and it sounded in his voice in a way that made the young Werewolf angry. "You owe it to your family to stay alive."

Stiles stood up and hugged his son tightly. "No matter what happens, Isaac, know that I love you more than anything in this world and that I'm so proud of you. But I need to do this. This is the first time I've felt useful since my attack. This is the first time I've felt like I have any control."

"Don't do this," Isaac begged again, hugging him back and buring his tear-stained face in Stiles' chest.

"This may be the only way I can keep Deucalion from killing you. I will do my best to get out of the way once I activate it, but there's a chance that I might not be able to get out in time. If I can't, then at least I will die knowing I saved you and Derek from a true monster," Stiles said, finally releasing Isaac from his grip. "Now please… the more time I spend here, the harder it's going to be to do what I need to do. I love you, kid."

"I love you, too," Isaac whimpered, slowly backing away before moving away from Stiles and toward where Derek and Satomi had evacuated all of the allies, including the guards. Deucalion stood prowling angrily in the small confines of the mountain ash cage.

Stiles mixed herbs in the bowl before grabbing two bay leaves. He held them between his lips as he added separate sprigs of mistletoe, clippings of wolf lichen, a few ounces of mountain ash, and four aconite flowers.

Deaton slowly approached. "That's a really good plan," he said as he saw what Stiles was doing.

"I need to bless it. It will be stronger if you say the blessing with me," Stiles said.

"Sure," Deaton said. "And once I've done that, I want you to join your family. I'll deliver this to Deucalion and add the bay leaves."

"You don't have to do that," Stiles said, instantly recognizing what Deaton was intending to do. "It's my job to protect my family and the territory. I said an oath. You're a much more experienced and capable Emissary. Derek needs you more…"

"And I promised Talia I would protect her family with my dying breath, if necessary. I'm afraid that what happened to Laura would happen to Derek if anything happened to you or Isaac. I'm older than you are and therefore much less valuable," Deaton said.

Stiles smiled, though his heart was pounding in his chest. "Those were the same reasons Dumbledore gave to Harry…"

Deaton gave a sad smile. "Then Stiles, do as I say. Go join your husband and your son. I'll give Talia your love if I see her on the other side."

Stiles sighed, but his breath got caught in his throat. He wanted to say any of a million things to Deaton, but those got stuck, too. He swallowed hard and managed to say the words, "Thank you."

Stiles inscribed several runes on the edge of the bowl, hoping that they would provide protection to Deaton before helping to finish the ritual. "Go," Deaton said again, motioning Stiles to go join his family. Stiles wiped a few tears from his eyes and ran across the clearing and into the woods where Derek and Stiles nearly knocked him over in their attempts to hug him and then the loud, ear-splitting boom. Stiles took several moments to summon the courage to look behind him. He saw Deaton's body sprawled unnaturally a distance away from the large, smoking crater. Derek and several of the guards moved toward it but Stiles stopped them.

"The smoke rising from the crater is going to be toxic to any supernatural creatures," he said. "I'll go."

"Be careful," Derek said softly as Stiles slowly approached the body. He knelt down and placed his hand on Deaton's neck, checking for a pulse. To his shock, it was there, but only barely so.

Stiles turned back, "He's alive! We need to get him to a hospital now!" Within seconds, three guards were by his side with air masks, gingerly picking him up and carrying him off. Stiles turned his attention to the large, smoking crater. He swallowed hard, knowing that if Deucalion survived, there was no way to kill him. However, as he looked past the smoke, he saw fragments of bone and flesh and sprays of blood everywhere. The vomit surged into his mouth before he could stop it, burning the back of his throat. He stumbled away, trying to wipe his mouth clean. He wanted to brush his teeth and gargle with mouthwash right then. But one of their biggest enemies was dead; his pieces were littered around the giant hole in the ground.

Stiles had hoped that this would help him feel better about having been raped. It didn't.

* * *

Stiles sat in the waiting area of the hospital. Derek was on the TV making a speech explaining what had happened with Deucalion. Satomi stood at his side. "Deucalion held our Territory hostage to fear and destruction as much as the Calaveras are doing. However he wasn't always so power-hungry and homicidal. He was once a thoughtful and wise man. He was practically family when I was growing up. He became the way he ended up due to the horrific actions perpetrated upon him by Gerard Argent. Regrettably, the threat he posed to the safety of our Territory was so great that we were backed into a corner. We attempted to reason with him and he wouldn't budge. We had to remove him."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," a reporter said, her voice rising above the din. "Are you saying that Deucalion is dead?"

"Yes," Derek said. Stiles tuned out the TV at that point because Isaac shifted. He was sleeping, his head resting against Stiles' shoulder, which was quickly turning numb. He didn't mind, though. His son looked so peaceful as he rested. Stiles, too, began to doze, leaning his head against his son's.

They slept like that in the uncomfortable hospital chairs for several hours. Nobody woke them, not even Derek who had shown up immediately after he left the press conference. When he walked up on his son and his husband snoozing, he pulled out his cell phone and snapped a picture, promptly making it the background before quietly sitting down across from them so that he wouldn't disturb them. He watched and smiled.

They woke up as the doctor approached them and cleared his throat. They were equally surprised to see Derek. "How is he?" the all asked at the same time with nearly competing levels of concern in their voices.

The doctor's face fell. "We attempted to stabilize him, but ultimately, his lungs were too badly burned by some sort of poisonous substance. He ended up passing away."

Derek shook his head. "No…" he said softly.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," the doctor said quickly. "We did everything we could."

"I know you did," Derek replied. His voice was thick with grief. "I thank you for that."

The doctor nodded his head and awkwardly left the royal family alone. "Dad, I'm sorry for your loss," Isaac said softly.

Derek placed a hand on his son's shoulder and looked at Stiles. "Will you order a full state funeral for him, please? I can't…"

"Sure," Stiles replied simply and Derek pulled him into a hug and cried on his shoulder.

* * *

It was well over a month after the funeral that Stiles finally saw Derek smile again. They were in a hotel's presidential suite as they continued their campaign. They found it much easier to gain support once the news that Deucalion was dead and the other members of the pack had not only lost their powers, but were also incarcerated. News reports were showing that now, popular support of Derek's reign was reaching levels that surpassed even Talia's.

They had just completed a long day of interviews and meetings and were exhausted. Stiles had actually fallen asleep while eating, which led to Derek laughing hysterically for nearly 10 minutes. The laughter had woken Stiles up and he laughed, too. They agreed they needed sleep but as they climbed into the large, comfortable bed, Stiles felt a stirring within himself that he had not felt since he was raped. Derek seemed to sense that in him and laid a kiss on him that was so shy, it seemed almost like a first kiss. Stiles smiled as their faces parted. "I know things have kind of sucked for us lately but I was thinking that if you were in the mood…" he said.

Derek's eyes widened as he realized what Stiles meant. "Oh!" he said, somewhat shocked. "Yeah! Are you sure?"

Stiles nodded slowly. "I've been working with my therapist and I've been… you know… trying on myself and I think I would like to try doing it with you."

"Alright," Derek said. His voice hit Stiles' ear like velvet on his skin. It was soft and warm.

"I'm not promising it will go well," Stiles added. "I just… I am sick of feeling like I'm dirty. I would much rather feel like I'm yours."

"Stiles, we don't need to do that just for you to be mine. You already are," Derek said.

"I know," Stiles replied. "But I want to try. I miss feeling close to you like I did when we were intimate. I want to feel like I'm sexy again."

Derek tore off his clothes and grabbed lube as Stiles slid out of his own clothes and altered his position slightly. "You're the sexiest man on Earth," he said as he began the process of prepping his husband. Stiles moaned as his hand went down to his own length, which was beginning to stiffen. Soon, Derek moved between Stiles' legs. He heard his husband's breath catch in his throat. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Stiles said weakly. "Just scared…"

"If at any point you want to stop, say the word," Derek replied, though made it a point to monitor Stiles' heart rate and chemo signals. He slowly pushed in and Stiles tensed, causing Derek to pause.

"Don't stop," Stiles said. "I'm sorry…" He averted his eyes and bit his bottom lip as he felt Derek finally slide inside him. It had been so long since he had done this, that he had forgotten the initial pain.. He noticed Derek pause and urged him on. Cautiously, Derek did. Soon, Derek was all the way inside him. He had forgotten how satisfying it felt to be lying there beneath him, looking up at every muscle moving beneath the skin and chest hair. He was now at full-mast and Derek reached down and began stroking it. "Stop!" Stiles gasped. "Please don't do that…"

Derek froze and released Stiles' cock. "I'm sorry," he said, trying to figure out what he did wrong so he wouldn't do it again.

"It's not your fault," Stiles said. He paused for a moment. "Did I completely ruin the mood?"

Derek leaned down and kissed him. "No. But I can stop if you want."

"Keep going," Stiles urged, trying to stay focused on the task at hand. Derek began rocking back and forth. Stiles loved how it felt, but kept feeling an anxious sensation building up in his chest.

Derek could sense it and stopped. "Stiles, you smell like panic. This was an amazing step forward, but I don't think we were quite ready for this."

Stiles was disheartened but he understood. Derek had been courageous enough to say what he couldn't. They simply weren't ready for this particular type of intimacy. "I promise it will happen eventually," Stiles said, crawling up under the covers.

Derek wiped himself off and crawled into bed next to his husband. "I don't want you to feel down on yourself, Stiles," Derek said. "This was amazing progress."

Stiles turned toward Derek and put his arm across his husband's chest. "Can I be the big spoon tonight?" he asked.

Derek leaned forward and kissed Stiles. The awkward angle meant that the kiss couldn't last long, but it was long enough to convey what he needed it to convey. He then turned on his side and backed up so that their bodies were tight against each other. "I love you. I love you more than anything."

* * *

"Is anybody home?" Cora's voice rang out in the empty hall of the orphanage. Allison stood beside her and sat down her luggage.

"We probably should have called first," the young huntress said.

"I sent them an email," Cora replied defensively. "Derek? Stiles?"

It was Stiles who greeted them. "How is my favorite sister-in-law?" he asked with a smile.

"I'll make sure not to tell Laura you said that," she replied, greeting him with a hug.

Stiles instantly felt bad for having forgotten about his other sister-in-law. He made it a point to ignore the Argent girl. He was still full of contempt for her. He certainly didn't trust her being in his orphanage, considering what happened last time she was near where a group of people he cared about were gathered. Still, she made a respectful bow and greeted him as "Your Majesty…"

"So what brings you here?" he asked, ignoring Allison.

Cora noticed what he was doing and made it a point to keep her new friend a part of the conversation. "So Allison and I have been pouring through mythology books and we think we know not only what Lauren Williams is… but also how to get rid of her."

"Lauren Williams is a horrible person and an embarrassment to the journalistic profession, but Derek has already banned the idea of killing her," Stiles said. "Believe me… I've tried to bark up that tree. Many times."

"She isn't who she says she is," Allison said. "Her name is Lamia. You know how the legends say that werewolves were created when Zeus cursed Laocoan?" Allison didn't wait for Stiles to reply, but instead powered on in her explanation. "Well, Lamia was also created by a curse from the gods. But we think that she resents the fact that Werewolves were given guidance from the Druids and has finally decided to lend her help to the Calaveras in their attempt to eradicate your kind once and for all… starting with  _your_  family."

"I can tell you aren't really believing what she's saying so we planned for this," Cora added. "There's someone who can back up everything."

"Who?"

"Remember the girl who broke into the mansion after the shooting?" Cora asked.

"Yeah…"

"She was trying to warn us about Lamia. I think given what just happened, we were all probably thinking she was warning us of Deucalion, but he didn't really become a threat until Mom died," Cora said. "Please trust us on this."

"I trust you, Cora," Stiles said. He pointed at Allison. "It's her I don't trust. Keep in mind what happened last time we brought her into the pack. I've lost way too much to risk our family again."

"But you're risking us by not listening to her," Cora replied. "I'm not asking you to trust her, Stiles. I'm asking you to trust me."

That was the exact thing Derek had said to him. "You're so much like your brother…"

"Speaking of… where is he?" she asked.

"He'll be back in a few minutes. Want to see what I've learned how to do?" he asked excitedly.

In Deaton's will, he had been left every Druid resource in his possession. Stiles had become a fully-fledged Enforcer with powers far beyond what he imagined possible. He lit a candle and watched as the flame flickered a moment before steadying itself. The wax began to melt and pool. Stiles concentrated and waved his hand over the candle before balling his fist. The flame on the candle went out.

"Cool trick," Cora said, unsure why he was showing her a simple parlor trick.

Stiles opened his hand to reveal that the flame was actually resting in his palm. It wasn't burning him, but instead, Stiles was feeding energy into it to keep it alive. He then concentrated, turning it into a ringlet of flame, which he expanded until it could fit around his wrist. He then attempted to make it surround his body, but he didn't quite have the discipline to do it just yet.

"That's really cool!" Allison said.

"So you're like a Firebender from Avatar?" Cora asked.

Stiles smiled at her reference. "Actually, once I'm better at it, I'd be more like the actual Avatar… Fire is usually the first natural element that Enforcers are able to exert control over. Some were able to fly on the winds they created. Honestly, if I can just get fire under my control, I don't think I'll have need of the other elements."

"I think you can exert your power over fire because you hold a lot of anger. Fire is the element of rage and passion," Allison said.

Stiles was just about to open his mouth to say that he didn't care what she thought when he heard Isaac's voice at the top of the stairs. His son had heard Allison and began rushing down, less than gracefully and skidded to a stop before adopting a pose that Stiles supposed was supposed to be casual. He narrowed his eyes as he looked from Allison to Isaac. "What brings you here?" Isaac asked.

Allison smiled and tucked some of her long, dark hair behind her ear. "I came here with Cora. We think we know how to get rid of Lauren Williams."

"I actually have a theory on that, too… Maybe she's like the anti-Pinocchio! Make her tell the truth and she'll implode on herself or something!" Isaac said.

Stiles rolled his eyes. "My son… I say this with all the love I have in my heart…. You're an idiot."

"You can control fire and you used some plants and squiggles to depower the Alpha pack and kill Deucalion and yet  _my_  theory is ridiculous?" Isaac said defensively.

"Deucalion's death had a very real cost," Stiles said darkly.

Isaac looked taken aback by the reproach. "I… I'm sorry."

"You should be. Deucalion's death was a last resort and it nearly cost my life… and it  _did_  cost Deaton's. This power is dangerous!" Stiles said.

At that moment, Derek walked through the door. He could sense the tension in the air. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked cautiously, slowly closing the front door behind himself.

"Derek!" Cora exclaimed, nearly tackling him with a hug.

Derek returned the hug, asking what she was doing there as he made his way over and kissed Stiles, who flushed.

"Allison and I have a theory on Lauren Williams," Cora replied.

"I'm all ears!" Derek replied cheerfully.

"Her real name is Lamia," Allison said. "And I'm pretty sure I know how to kill her."

Derek furrowed his brow and put up a hand. "Wait… Lamia… like from mythology?"

"The same," Cora added.

"And your proof?" Derek asked. "As much as I'd like to—and believe me, I'd like to—I can't condone killing her unless I have proof."

Allison reached into the satchel she had been carrying and pulled out her phone. She had saved photos and began flipping through them, showing them to Derek. "Your Majesty, each of these photos shows the same woman… all of them are entitled 'Lamia' and all of them are a dead ringer for her."

"This evidence is circumstantial at best," Derek said, handing the phone back to her. "I would lose my legitimacy to rule if I permitted you to take her out based on this."

"I thought you'd say that," Allison said, swiping her hand across the screen and suddenly the room was filled with noise emanating from the phone. The voice was of an older woman with a heavy Spanish accent.

"She presumes to tell  _me_  what to do!" the woman raged. "Lamia does not know what she got herself into!"

Another voice, male this time, responded in Spanish. Stiles knew enough to know that he asked who she was talking about.

"That wretched reporter woman… she is the snake woman Lamia!" Stiles heard the word "loca" followed by another enraged outburst. "The moment Derek Hale is out of the way, we take her out too! The Code be damned!"

The sound bite ended there. Stiles could tell Derek was considering it. "That evidence is… better…"

"What do you need to be convinced?" Allison asked before realizing the sharp edge she had on her voice and attempted to soften it by reluctantly adding, "Your Majesty."

"The Mountain Ash test would help," Stiles said.

"But I'm not letting either of you get close enough to administer it!" Derek added quickly.

"I figured you wouldn't," Cora replied. "Which is why I think we need to go on a little trip…"

* * *

The prison was well-secluded. Stiles had never before seen such an intricate security system. He walked hand-in-hand with Derek down the hallway which was lit with harsh lighting. The walls, floors, and ceiling were all made of cement

As they approached the cell, the girl did not move. She was sitting on her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her face held the glimmer of an amused smile, but on the whole, she seemed very bored. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," she said as they approached.

"Thanks," Stiles replied with sarcasm in his voice.

"I wasn't talking about you," she said, looking from Stiles to Derek, who shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm prepared to offer you your freedom if you can give us information and that information checks out," Derek said.

"For you, handsome, I'm an open book," she said.

Stiles hated the way she was so openly flirting with him. "That's my husband you're talking to."

"I'm aware," Braeden replied.

Derek gave Stiles' hand a reassuring squeeze. "When you attacked us, who sent you?"

"I don't remember. I told you… whoever it was took that from me after they sent me."

"My mom questioned you," Derek said. "I know that must have caused you to remember  _something_."

"It was an Alpha. That's all I know."

"Other creatures can mess with memories. Are you sure it was an Alpha?" Stiles asked.

Braeden shrugged. "He's certainly welcome to dig around in my head."

"Approach the bars," Derek ordered. Braeden did as she was told and Derek advanced on her, his claws extended and buried them into her neck.

" _Wouldn't it be easier if you just wrote a message?" Braeden asked._

" _No. Derek would never believe that. In fact, if you mention me at all, he'll discount what you say and Talia will hunt me down. They're in danger. When they get the news, they're going to think it's the Calaveras who are after them, but that's just a distraction. The Calaveras are only a pawn. The real enemy is Lamia. Our family has had issues with her in the past, but now, she has strength behind her," the shadowy figure said._

" _The Calaveras... But w_ _hen I tell him, he's going to want to know who sent me," Braeden said. "If you take that from my memory, how can I respond?"_

" _Tell him the truth," the man replied. "Tell him it was an Alpha."_

" _There are hundreds of Alphas in the world!"_

" _All the better to mask my trail. When the time comes, I'll reveal myself. However, in the meantime, I'll be building my pack and when they need me, I'll come to their aid. Maybe I'll finally be welcomed back into the family," he said, moving, for the first time, into the light and allowing Braeden to get a good view of his handsome features. "After all, it's been a long time since I've seen my darling sister and her children." His eyes shone bright red as his claws whipped out and buried themselves into her spine._

Derek pulled his claws out of Braeden's neck and stepped back. He looked pale. "Derek? What is it?" Stiles asked. "Who was it?"

Derek took several moments to organize his thoughts. "Derek… who sent her?" Cora echoed.

Derek's eyes moved from Stiles to Cora. "It was Uncle Peter…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: So I'm super appreciative of your patience! I started a new job, which can be stressful, but I've finally been able to find a balance. I'm going to work on updating my stories now. Let me know how you liked this chapter!


	15. Chapter 15

"I thought you said your uncle was dead… that Talia killed him," Stiles asked timidly.

"I thought she did… I mean… she  _said_  she destroyed him," Derek replied. Stiles had never seen him so unnerved before.

"Why would mom lie about something like that?" Cora asked.

"I have no idea," Derek replied with a defeated shrug.

"We need to find him," Allison said.

"Does anyone else feel like this is starting to become a wild goose chase?" Stiles asked. "First we're searching for Lamia then we're searching for Peter Hale, who should have been dead for more than a decade. For all we know, the memory is fake. Alphas can implant false memories just as easily as they can steal real ones. I think it was Deucalion and we  _know_  he's dead."

"I don't think so," Derek replied. "False memories have a different feel when you access them. That memory was real and untampered with. When an Alpha 'steals' memories, they don't actually remove them. They only bury them deep into the person's unconscious mind, which is why only a skilled Alpha will be able to retrieve them afterwards. I think mom saw that memory and locked Braden up to keep her from letting it out that she never actually killed Peter."

"Then make Braeden go find him," Stiles suggested.

"Woah," Braeden exclaimed, putting her hands up. "Why the hell would I do that? Why would I go after one of the most dangerous Alphas who has ever lived?"

"Because doing so will be your only ticket to freedom," Stiles said matter-of-factly. "And if you happened to die in the course of doing it, it wouldn't be the worst thing that happened."

Braeden looked unconvinced. "I get three square meals and a bed to sleep on if I refuse you… I'm preferring those odds…"

"You'll be paid handsomely," Derek said.

"For results," Stiles interjected, not trusting Braeden. "And your pay will be docked for flirting with my husband."

Braeden glanced over to Derek, expecting him to overrule what Stiles had just said. Derek didn't. "You know that phrase 'happy wife, happy life'?" he asked. She nodded. "He's not my wife, but the theory still applies. Any rules he sets you should follow as if I gave them."

"We see who's really the Alpha in this relationship…" Braeden muttered.

Stiles figured she didn't think he heard her, so to let her know he had, he leaned toward her and whispered, "You just cost yourself two grand!"

Braeden recoiled. "How much am I supposed to be getting?"

"That's to be determined… do you have any more smartass comments to make?" Stiles asked.

Allison and Cora sniggered. "This is gonna be fun," Allison whispered.

* * *

"I don't like it," Derek said pacing back and forth in their bedroom. Derek was lying on top of the covers reading over legislation he had been asked to sign into law.

"It's just a date, Stiles," Stiles said. "Isaac deserves to have a little fun."

"I understand that," Derek countered. "But does he have to have fun with a Hunter?"

"He has fallen head over heels for her," Stiles replied. "And besides… I've already sent six undercover body guards to the restaurant he was bringing her and they're texting me updates."

"God, I love you," Derek said, finally climbing into the bed. He leaned over and kissed Stiles cheek, feeling a stirring within himself.

Stiles could tell from the way he tensed that he was horny and moved to bring himself even closer to his husband. "We can try again… Do you mind if I top?"

"Not at all," Derek replied, scooting down. He did his best to guide Stiles. He could sense the nervous apprehension from his husband, but did his best to relax him. Stiles took charge and Derek focused his hearing to monitor for panic. Their foreplay was cut short by Stiles' eagerness to get on with the main event, but Derek didn't mind. Stiles seemed completely uninhibited. He could feel that Stiles was getting close when suddenly his phone began vibrating. Music began playing loudly. "Fuck you! Fuck you very, very much… because we hate you, we do and we hate your whole crew so please don't stay in touch!"

"Whose ringtone is that?" Derek asked, annoyed that they had been interrupted.

"Braeden's…" Stiles admitted. "I changed the ringtone for her contact in your phone."

Derek busted out laughing before grabbing his phone and answering it. Stiles stayed planted inside his husband. He could only hear part of the conversation which consisted of, "You found him already? … Why would I give him permission to come back to the Territory? … I don't care if he misses his family! … He should have thought about that before doing what he did. … Fine. But he is to report straight to the same prison you were kept in and if he's not there within 24 hours, we will give him the exact same ending Deucalion got."

By the way Derek's jaw was set, Stiles could tell he was no longer in the mood. "Is everything alright?"

"No," Derek said. "But then again, when is it ever?" Stiles pulled out, which Derek protested. "No… sweetie go ahead and finish. This shouldn't ruin your fun."

"It was fun for me because it was fun for you. Obviously that mood has been killed. I want to make love to you, Derek, not just fuck you," Stiles replied. Derek's phone vibrated again. Stiles wiped off his dick and cuddled up next to Derek just as he put the phone down. "Isaac's on his way home."

"That was nice of him to text us," Stiles said.

"He didn't… one of the guards did. Apparently he realized he was being followed. He's pissed," Derek said. Stiles grabbed one of his books from the bedside table and Derek did the same. "What are you reading?"

"I'm still trying to get through the books Deaton left for me. I'm your Emissary now, so I need to know everything he did. I found this thing that we may be able to use to kill two birds with one stone… but it looks incredibly dangerous," Stiles replied.

"Yeah… that's the way to sell me on it," Derek said sarcastically. "Tell me how dangerous it is."

"Well, basically it involves releasing a very powerful dark kitsune called the Void. However, I've found some runes that could be used to control it. But if we released it into me and I taught you how to use the control runes, I could make short work of the Hunters and Lamia!" Stiles explained.

"Abso-fucking-lutely not!" Derek exclaimed. "Do you understand how dangerous and uncontrollable Nogitsunes are? Plenty of people have tried to summon and control them, but those idiots inevitably end up dead… along with thousands of other innocent people until the Nogitsune itself is killed. They're an unstoppable force of nature and I won't allow you to unleash one, let alone be possessed by one!"

"Derek, it might be our only shot!" Stiles argued. "Deaton left me this stuff for a reason! Why leave me a possible solution if it's something we can't use?"

"He left you this stuff so you could become my Emissary and help me and my pack survive. He should never have helped you become an Enforcer," Derek said. He put his hand up to silence the objection he saw forming on his husband's lips. "There haven't been Enforcers for centuries because that much power contained in one person is dangerous and it makes them a target. Your job is to help keep the balance between good and evil. Unleashing a Nogitsune is hardly the way to do that."

Stiles was unable to respond because their bedroom door burst open and a visibly livid Isaac barged in. "You had me followed?" he demanded. Fury radiated off his body and his eyes shone bright yellow.

Derek sat up in the bed and put on an air of excited curiosity. "How was your date?"

"Over about three hours too early! You had me followed! I can't believe you don't trust me!" Isaac bellowed.

"Isaac, it's not that we don't trust you… it's that we don't trust literally everyone else in the world," Stiles replied. "You're our son and we love you. That means you're constantly in danger."

"You don't trust Allison is what you're saying… and you don't trust my judgment in wanting to be with her," Isaac said. His anger had been so intense that it burned itself into hurt much earlier than he had hoped.

"I can't say that I'm particularly fond of the idea of you being with a Hunter," Derek admitted. "But I trust you implicitly. Unfortunately, you didn't grow up as a Werewolf. You don't understand the danger her kind poses to ours."

"I was almost killed because of the danger her kind poses!" Isaac argued. "But Allison wasn't a part of that! If you remember correctly, she was in danger that day, too! She wants to be with me because she likes me and I like her! But now she's probably never going to talk to me again because you two can't trust me enough to make my own decisions! I'm 18 now for God's sake!"

"Isaac, you're a Prince now… and more importantly, you're a Werewolf. Hunters and Werewolves don't get together. It simply isn't done," Derek said.

"I saw how much you suffered when your dad meddled in your love life, Stiles," Isaac said coldly. "I never imagined you would do that to me."

"It's not like we're arranging your marriage," Stiles sighed. "We're just asking that you be careful."

"And we aren't meddling!" Derek added.

"Well you sure as fuck aren't minding your own fucking business!"

Derek's tone became far more parental than Stiles could have imagined. "Isaac, you will not speak to us like that. Apologize and go to your room."

"I'll go to my room," Isaac said firmly and defiantly. "But I'm not apologizing." With that, he turned on his heels and stormed away.

"The joys of parenting," Derek muttered softly, turning to kiss Stiles on the cheek. Stiles moved slightly and the kiss landed on his jaw.

"He's right though," Stiles said, taking a moment to reflect. "Allison has been incredibly helpful to us and Isaac really likes her."

"But she's a Hunter."

Stiles laughed. "She's his entire world right now and if you can't accept it, he's going to make your life a living hell."

Derek groaned, realizing Stiles was right and that his bias against the Hunters ran far deeper than he had imagined. "Ugh… you're right. I'll talk to him in the morning." He scooted down in the bed and turned his back toward Stiles. "For now, I need sleep. I have to go see my uncle tomorrow."

Stiles put his book away and turned off the light, immersing them in complete darkness. "I'm going to come with you," he said, but added, "When you speak to Isaac, I'll have a conversation with Allison." Derek could tell by his voice that there was not to be any arguing about the matter. With one sentence, it had been settled.

* * *

The smug look on Braeden's face twisted something within Stiles. He hated her with such a visceral intensity that seeing her made him nauseous. Braeden curtsied mockingly. "Your Majesties," she said by way of greeting.

"The fact that you did it so quickly bothers me," Derek admitted.

"Honestly, it's almost like he  _wanted_  to be caught," Braeden replied. "But suddenly, I see where the good looks come from… it's a family trait."

"You just cost yourself five grand," Stiles snarled. "Hope it was worth it."

Braeden rolled her eyes and pointed at him, twirling her finger in his direction. "This jealousy you're pretending to have… it'd be cute if it wasn't so pathetic. We all know your marriage was arranged so I don't know who you think you're fooling."

Stiles pulled a zippo lighter out of his pocket and flicked it. The flame flickered slightly as the breeze blew by. He pulled the flame away from the lighter and held it in his palm. "What was that you were saying?" he asked dangerously as he

"Stiles stop it!" Derek scolded. "You're not helping anything!"

Stiles glared mutinously at Derek before extinguishing the flame. Two of the guards approached. "Keep don't let her out of your sight. If she tries to run, ice her."

"Really?" Braeden demanded.

"Yeah, really," Stiles replied, following Derek into the prison. Peter Hale was being held in the deepest cell of the prison in a cage made of rowan wood and surrounded by a circle of mountain ash. He sat calmly on the bed as they approached, but suddenly Stiles saw what Braeden meant. Peter had the same chiseled jaw Derek had as well as the high, firm cheekbones that all three Hale children shared. Where Derek's human eyes were vibrant green, Stiles could see that Peter's were a piercing icy blue. They held a dangerous feral quality that only served to add to his rugged handsomeness. "Is… is that him?"

"Your Majesty," Peter said, rising to his feet and bowing respectfully to Derek. His eyes turned to Stiles. "Oh and an Enforcer! It's an honor. I never thought I'd meet one in my life, let alone be related to one through marriage."

"Cut it," Derek snapped, startling both Stiles and Peter. "What is it you want from me?"

"Something I don't deserve… something I have no right to ask," Peter replied. "Your forgiveness."

"Did you fall and hit your psychotic little head?" Derek growled venomously.

"I know that what I did was wrong, Derek," Peter said. "I have spent more than a decade trying to figure out how to make it right."

"I blamed myself for the war that resulted and the lives that were lost in it. When Scott McCall became the True Alpha, I hated you!" Derek said. "That was supposed to be mine."

"Funny thing about Scott 'Werewolf Jesus' McCall…" Peter said, finally moving from his spot in the cage. "I was the one who turned him, so that you'd have a True Alpha on your side when you needed it, since my actions prevented you from having that power yourself."

"Why didn't my mother kill you?" Derek demanded.

"If it makes you feel better, Talia wanted to. But by that point, my Pack was much, much larger than hers and as you know, the power of the Wolf is the Pack. So she had her lapdog Deaton set up a ward around the Territory. If I came back without an invitation from the reigning monarch, I would be killed instantly," Peter explained.

"So what you're saying is that you've not changed one bit. You lied and tricked me then and you lied and tricked me now," Derek said.

Peter moved as close to the bars as he dared, knowing the sharp pain of touching rowan wood. "If you would rather me dead, all you have to do is rescind the invitation that allowed me back in the territory. The wards will go back into effect and I'll be killed instantly. Or you hear me out and possibly save your husband, your son, what remains of your Pack…. And more importantly, your kingdom."

"Why do I get the sinking feeling that you would benefit more from this than any of the others you mentioned?" Stiles asked.

Peter flashed him a smile that, Stiles regretted to admit, made him swoon a little. "You're a great Emissary, Stiles. You're looking out for the best interests of the greater good and finally, so am I. I know my history doesn't warrant trust, but I'm tired of being separated from the people I love. And I refuse to allow that slithering snake bitch to kill my family."

"Then tell me what I need to do to kill her," Derek said.

"Lamia is ancient," Peter replied. "Even older than our kind and created from similar circumstances."

"I know that already. If you're going to be useful, tell me something I don't know, or you can kiss your invitation goodbye," Derek growled.

"Well, because she's much older than us, even the most powerful Alpha would barely be able to do so much as tickle her. She can only be stopped by a force older and still more powerful than she," Peter explained. "To whom did the first wolves turn when they needed guidance?"

"The druids," Derek answered. "They used their magic to teach us how to change."

"Do you know how the Druids had that power, but none of them do anymore?" Peter asked.

"They held communion with nature," Derek replied.

"Not just nature… with  _the_  goddess of nature. They were her children," Peter explained. He added quickly, "Figuratively speaking, of course."

"But what does that have to do with the Emissaries now?" Stiles asked.

"Not a single fucking thing," Peter sapped, annoyed at being interrupted. "The only Emissary this information could possibly benefit is you. You're the first Enforcer in more than a century. You're the only one with enough of a connection to nature to be able to summon her and safely contain her."

"How do I do it?" Stiles demanded.

"You're new at this being a king thing aren't you?" Peter said. "That information buys my freedom."

"Go fuck yourself," Derek said quickly. "You will never see the sunlight again."

"Derek, I understand why you're angry at me and you have every right to be. What I did to you was unforgiveable. But let me save your pack and your throne. If we win, I'll leave afterwards and you'll never hear from me again. If we lose, well… I'll be put to death beside the rest of you," Peter said.

"If you betray us, I will put you to death by a silver broadsword. Do you understand?" Derek demanded. Peter had nothing to lose, which made this situation the more dangerous because Derek had  _everything_  to lose.

Peter nodded and Derek indicated for a guard to let him out of the cage. Once freed, he brushed past Stiles, allowing his hand to graze the front of the human's pants. Stiles immediately grew hard. Braeden followed Peter and Derek held Stiles back. "Can you do the magic he's asking you to do?"

Stiles shrugged. "Only one way to find out, I guess…"

"Alright," Derek said uneasily. "Do I need to worry about anything?"

"Look around, Derek," Stiles said. "Yeah… you do."

"I meant about you. You were practically popping a knot for my uncle."

Stiles shook his head. "I would never betray you like that. Braeden was right… good looks run in the family, but I've got you. Why would I need the older, outdated model?" Stiles reasoned.

Derek smiled at his husband's logic and kissed him.

* * *

"Where's your sister?" Peter asked as he sat down at the table. Dinner was being served.

"Cora is at a film premier," Derek said curtly.

"That wasn't the sister I was referring to," Peter replied. "I already knew  _her_  whereabouts."

"You will never get near Laura," Derek growled protectively.

"Do you think it's fair what you're doing to her?" Peter inquired. "Keeping her locked up the way you do? She's a Hale, not a common prisoner."

"She's unwell, thanks to the war  _you_  started." Derek's voice sent prickles of apprehension through Stiles' spine. "She is mentally unstable and because of the disconnect with her wolf, she can't be subdued the way a normal Werewolf can and she's prone to fly off the handle at a moment's notice."

"She doesn't like being around other people," Stiles added.

"But you do," Peter said. His voice was low and heavy. "Don't you, Stiles? I've heard Alphas are your thing… and Derek isn't the only Alpha to have sampled you, if my sources are correct." His eyes raked up and down Stiles. "I wouldn't mind adding myself to that list."

Stiles didn't remember standing, but a moment later, he found himself with his chair toppled over behind him and the flames from the candles that had been lit along the table in the shape of a firey arrow. Stiles' hands were positioned as though he were drawing back a bow, ready to loose the arrow into Peter's heart.

It was Derek's voice that snapped him out of his momentary lapse. He took a deep breath and returned the flames to the candles before sitting back down. "I apologize," Peter said softly. "I just wanted to see your power. It's magnificent."

"You had no right to bring that up," said Stiles, still shaken up.

"You're right," Peter agreed. "I just figured your power would be more closely tied to your anger than any other emotion. It usually is."

Stiles put his chair upright and sat down slowly. Derek watched him intently and Stiles felt as though his husband's eyes were going to bore a hole right through him. "Are you alright?" Derek asked softly. Stiles merely nodded and remained silent for the rest of the meal.

"Have you heard of Nantosuelta?" Peter asked them. They both shook their heads. "She is a Celtic goddess of nature, fire, air, and she even had some sway over Death. There is an old Druid ritual that was only to be used in time of dire straits. It would trap Nantosuelta in a human's body."

"Trapping a deity in a mortal body would kill the human and possibly the god," Derek said.

"True," Peter replied. "Except the Druids learned how to protect the body using some of the same runic magic that was used to keep me out of the Territory as well as destroy the Alpha Pack. The only catch, is that the body used to trap her must be one that can already manipulate elements. The only person capable of such a feat in the last 100 years is sitting at this very table."

"What would the effect be?" Derek asked. "I won't allow you to trap a goddess inside my husband's body if I don't know he'll be alright afterwards."

"She will be able to be released. The runes used to bind her, however, will permanently mark Stiles' skin. As for any other side effects, it can't be known. This ritual hasn't been performed since antiquity. But we're faced with the fact that only the power of a deity can destroy her before she destroys every Werewolf on the planet, starting with the Hale family," Peter said.

Stiles remembered a ritual he had passed over in one of the books Deaton had left him and excused himself from the table, running upstairs to his bedroom to see if it was in one of the few books he had brought with him to this house.

"I don't trust you, Peter," Derek said plainly. "And I'm not going to risk my husband's life on this especially if it turns out to be just a power play for you."

Derek and Peter locked eyes. The corners of Peter's mouth curled up, stopping just shy of a smile as his eyes narrowed to nearly feral slits. "You don't have to trust me, Derek. I understand why you don't. But if you wish to remain King… if you wish to remain Alpha… and most importantly, if you wish to remain alive, you need to act on my information and you need to do it quickly. I spoke to one of my betas today and he informed me that the Calaveras have mended a centuries-old blood feud with one of the other Latin-American Hunting families just to ensure they have enough firepower when the war breaks out. Call the Council. Make the Humans declare war as well, and perform the ritual!"

"You can control your heartbeat, Peter. I'm not able to tell whether or not you're lying," Derek replied, still unconvinced.

"Whatever it is you want me to do to convince you, I'll do it," Peter replied, his voice nearly begging.

"Renounce your position as Alpha and join my pack as  _my_  beta," Derek said, laying out his demand with no hesitation or second-thought.

"Alright," Peter replied, reclining back in his chair. "You'll need to call my second-in-command beta into the Territory so I can give him my power."

"How do you intend to transfer the power?" Derek asked, curious.

"I was going to fuck it into him. There's power in an Alpha's sperm, after all," Peter answered. "Why do you think Stiles has the power he does?"

"Because he's an incredibly talented human being," Derek replied.

"No… because he's taken the semen of three different Alphas into his body," Peter replied. "The reason there were so many Enforcers in the past was because the Druids were able to make them. They would gather the best and the brightest among them and tie them up. They'd be raped by Alphas until they had the necessary power. The Enforcers would then keep the balance between the sides of good and evil and if things tipped too far in one direction, they would bring in a deity to set things right again."

"Why are you telling me this?" Derek asked, fearing he knew the answer and dreading that Peter would confirm that he really did.

"Because. In order to control all four elements and thus be able to take in the full power of Nantosuelta, Stiles needs to be knotted by a powerful Alpha," Peter said.

"And are you volunteering for the job?" Derek growled, his eyes flashing red.

"I'm willing to take one for the team," Peter replied. "And judging by the erection and surge of testosterone in his blood every time he lays eyes on me, I'd say he is, too."

"If you touch him, I will rip you limb from limb and do to you what my mother should have," Derek vowed, bursting angrily to his feet.

The sound of a closing book snapped both of them out of their battle of the wills. Stiles took in a deep breath before reopening the book to the page he needed. "Derek, he's right…"

"You're not having sex with him!" Derek insisted. "He's not taking yet another important thing from me! And besides, you and I have only just begun to be able to have sex normally again!"

Stiles looked down at the page. "According to the ritual, I wouldn't need to have sex with him, but it makes my claim to the power stronger if it's an Alpha I've not previously been with."

"No," Derek said. "I can do it. There's no need to subject you to something traumatic like that if I can do it instead." Losing the war was almost better than having to live his life knowing he put Stiles in danger again.

"The power we are trying to summon is of a magnitude we can never even hope to comprehend. As such, it requires sacrifices from us that are designed to dissuade us from doing it. In the past, so few people would volunteer because it meant being knotted and as a human, it's incredibly painful," Peter said.

"And the fact that he's of a shared bloodline with my Mate only makes it more powerful if he is the one. Look," Stiles said, showing the pages to Derek, who took a moment to discern how Stiles felt about the prospect. All he could smell in the air was dread rolling off of him.

"Derek, if he does this, he will become just supernatural enough to establish a reciprocal Mate bond with you. That would allow you to tether him here until we find a way to release her from his body," Peter said.

"You mean there's no known way to do that?" Derek demanded.

"Most of the time the Enforcer would die in battle. The gods would forget that the bodies they were in were mortal and couldn't withstand the trauma inflicted during battle," Stiles explained. "This ritual was done in preparation for the most severe battles. Granted, their idea of a severe battle is a little weaker than ours because we have guns."

Derek frowned. Stiles could tell that he wasn't entirely sold on the idea, but since there were few other options, he was resigned to go along with it. "I'm going to summon the Council," he said finally.

* * *

Stiles was sitting behind his desk signing off on paperwork for the orphanage when one of the guards knocked. "Miss Argent is here," he said.

"Send her in!" Stiles said, moving to one of the chairs in front of his desk. He wanted this meeting to feel more personal.

Allison entered the room and nodded. "Your Majesty," she said by way of greeting.

"Hello Allison," Stiles replied, indicating the chair across from him. "Have a seat." She took the cue to sit with caution as Stiles began talking. "I'm sure you're probably wondering why I called you into my office."

"It's probably because of Isaac, isn't it?"

Stiles smiled. "That's part of the reason."

"Well I think your objections to our relationship are bigoted!" she said matter-of-factly. "You can't stand the idea that your Werewolf prince son is going to be dating a Human, let alone a Hunter."

"Thank you for your candor," Stiles said honestly. "But that's not where I was going with that. After all, I'm a human and I'm married to Derek. Isaac seems to really like you and I know what a problem parental meddling caused in my life, so I'm not going to interfere… I just have one favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"Try as we might, we haven't been able to help him realize the danger of being a Werewolf. He wasn't raised as one and he overestimates the security it brings him. The battle is going to be upon us before we know it and I trust you to protect him," Stiles said.

"Why do you sound like you don't anticipate surviving the battle?" she asked.

Stiles sighed and reclined in the chair. "Because the only plan we have is incredibly dangerous and I'm not sure if I will."

"Why would King Derek ever authorize the plan if it's as dangerous as you say?" Allison's eyebrows furrowed and she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"He doesn't know the full dangers of the plan. He would never agree to it if he did and it's the only way we know of that will get Lamia out of the way once and for all," Stiles replied. "I'm hoping you would keep this between us. Not even Isaac can know."

Allison nodded. "I'll keep your secret and I'll keep him safe."

"That brings me to the other thing I wanted to discuss with you," Stiles added. "In the event that something happens to me, we need a human be ready to take over in my place. I have no heirs of my own, so I want to name you my heir. You're strong, intelligent, and courageous."

"But I'm an Argent," Allison protested.

"And without the help you've given us, we would never have figured out how to get rid of Lamia," Stiles replied. "Do this and rewrite the history of your family. They were once a noble family that followed a code. They were once honorable. You have what it takes to restore  _that_  legacy."

Tears welled in Allison's eyes. She turned away, not wanting to show him "Thank you," she said softly.

* * *

"Has he knotted you yet?" Peter asked, coming up behind Stiles. His hands grabbed Stiles' hips and his bulge could be felt through his pants.

Stiles wormed his way out of Peter's grip. "That's none of your business."

"Considering the fact that I gave up my position as an Alpha and am now more vulnerable to Lamia if she wins… yes, it is," Peter countered, flashing his wolf eyes. They were a bright, icy blue, just like Derek's had been before he inherited the title of Alpha. "I could reclaim my position as an Alpha and knot you myself if you'd like."

"I don't want you like that," Stiles insisted.

Peter smiled. "At least you had the grace to lie. I know you want me. He knows you want me. I want you, too."

"And you'll never have me," Stiles said. "Derek called the Council and as soon as they're done deliberating, he's going to come back. They're set to be done right before the full moon. That's when Derek's wolf influence will be strongest and then we can complete the ritual."

Peter sighed as he took off his shirt. Stiles inhaled sharply. "You and I are a lot alike, you know… we're both ruthless in our pursuits," he said, moving close to Stiles once more.

"If you touch me, Derek will kill you," Stiles maintained.

Peter took Stiles' hand and placed it on his slightly hairy but muscular belly. "You're going to be less concerned about what he wants after the ritual. Nantosuelta will burn up all of the love and happiness and care you have. You'll be left with only lust and rage and despair." Stiles tried to pull his and away, but Peter held it more firmly and slowly moved it further down until his fingertips were hovering only just above the waistline of Peter's pants. "This side of you… the side that wants me to bend you over the furniture and shove my knot inside you… that's going to be the only part of you that's left. I'm not going to say no when you come up to me and beg for it."

"Peter, stop!" Stiles said, finally pulling his hand away. "You came back to help your nephew… so do that… don't betray him again."

Peter frowned. "You're right. I've lived away from civilized Werewolves for too long."

"You have a lot of inner darkness, Peter," Stiles said. "I know this because… well, I do too. But I fight it. I fight hard and I fight every day."

"I don't know that I can be redeemed, Stiles," Peter admitted.

"You can. You just have to work for it," Stiles replied. "I need to be able to trust that you'll do what's best for Derek when I no longer can."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "You want me to kill you."

"Derek will never be able to bring himself to do it and if I can't find some way to protect my humanity, I'll be a liability for him," Stiles said. "I've already got someone to watch over Isaac."

"Where is my nephew, anyway?" Peter asked. He still hadn't put his shirt back on and Stiles was making a concerted effort not to look.

"He's gathering one of the ingredients we need for the ritual. Water from the Loire river," Stiles replied, busying himself with tidying up.

Sighing, Peter sat down. "Have you tried looking up blessings?"

"What?"

"Blessing an object of great emotional value to you and hiding it until you need it," Peter explained.

"I could conceal that part of me in the object?" Stiles asked, needing clarification.

"Yes. Then once we release Nantosuelta from you, you could use that item to regain your good side," Peter said.

"Why didn't you say anything about this before?"

"Because I wasn't trying hard enough to do good. Really, I just wanted my chance to fuck you," he admitted.

"If you want to earn Derek's trust, you need to be completely forthcoming with him," Stiles reasoned.

"Like you're being?" Peter cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow.

Stiles blushed. "You and I both know that Derek would never let me do this if he knew the real dangers and it's our best way of destroying Lamia."

"It's our  _only_  way of destroying her."

"Exactly."

* * *

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, I find your evidence circumstantial at best," one of the human leaders from the northern part of the Territory said with a murmur of assent that swept through the chamber, through the human half of the chamber, Derek noticed.

"I also find it highly suspicious that she is the one person who has been vocally objecting to the changes put in place by you and your family," said Nicholas Grayson. He had been one of the generals who was there when Laura's Mate had been killed. Derek didn't expect him to be one of the voices objecting to his proposal.

"I'm not requesting she be arrested, just subjected to the Mountain Ash test. And quite frankly," Derek said, his voice becoming hard, "Putting the request through the Council was a courtesy. I already have Lord Stilinski's approval."

"Then why call the council?" an Alpha named Amethyst asked. Her voice was high and melodic.

"Because he's not a despot!" It was Scott McCall who spoke this time. Derek was instantly grateful that his husband was best friends with the True Alpha. "Lauren Williams has a definite connection to the Calaveras family. They are more brutal than the Argents and they want to eradicate all Werewolves, starting with the Hale family."

Satomi was the next to speak up. "Most of the people in this room agreed to the system that made the Hale and Stilinski families the monarchs of the Territory. In return, they've given us a decade of peace from the Hunters. In good faith, Derek asked us to agree to the warrant. If it can keep the peace and prevent more innocent lives from being snuffed out, I say we should do it."

The Werewolf side of the room all cheered and Derek smiled at Satomi. "Then let's put it to a vote," General Grayson proposed.

"All those in favor of issuing the warrant for Lauren Williams say 'aye,'" Derek announced authoritatively. As was the rule of the council, the assenting members stood. All of the Werewolves and roughly a third of the Human members had consented. A simple majority was all that was needed, so the motion passed.

"Out of curiosity," Grayson began once the crowd had quieted down. "What happens if she fails the test?"

"Then it proves that I was right all along," Derek replied.

"But what specifically happens  _to her_ ," Grayson insisted.

"My advisors and I have come up with a plan. Its success is dependent on its secrecy," Derek said.

"You're going to kill her, aren't you?" someone shouted. Derek couldn't tell who.

"If she can be killed… yes," Derek answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So thanks for your patience. The lines have now been drawn in the sand and the players are in position. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one!


	16. Chapter 16

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Derek asked softly. He held a brush above a jar of what looked to be black goo. It smelled of turpentine and smoke. Despite the fact that it had been sitting in the chilly room for several hours as Derek and Stiles made love, the mixture was still warm to the touch, heated by magic imbued in it. "We can find another way. And besides, Lamia is immortal. We could, ostensibly, just keep her in that cage for the rest of eternity."

"As long as she lives, she'll be a symbol for everything that could destroy the peace we fought so hard for," Stiles said as he grabbed Derek's hand and pulled the brush to his skin. It stung, but Stiles didn't reveal that. Derek would never continue to apply the runes if he knew it was causing Stiles any pain.

"And you're sure you can control her power when we summon her into your body?" Derek asked.

"I can control Nantosuelta. You heard what Lamia said after she failed the Mountain Ash test. She said that everyone who has ever loved us or shown us loyalty will die. I can't let that happen, Derek. I can't continue to be powerless to save my loved ones and to save the Territory," Stiles said softly.

"But you're not powerless. You're an Enforcer," Derek insisted.

"And I'm going to protect the Territory from Lamia," Stiles said with such finality that Derek knew he would never be able to reason his husband out of his decision. Stiles was far too stubborn for that.

"Just promise me that I won't lose you in the process," Derek said firmly.

Stiles nodded slowly. "Ok."

Derek continued applying the mixture to his husband's skin, painting the shapes Stiles had prescribed.

The more of the mixture that touched his skin, the more it burned and the harder it was for Stiles to maintain his composure. When he shifted slightly, Derek took immediate notice. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Stiles lied. He wasn't. He was in agony. "Just a cramp from having to stay so still. You know how fidgety I can be."

"Well I'm almost done. What happens once it's all applied?"

"The magic of the runes will sink into my skin and I can wash the mud off," Stiles replied.

Silence passed for several moments before Derek tried to break it. Stiles could tell he was struggling to put words to what he was thinking. Stiles encouraged him to say what was on his mind. "There's something you're not telling me. Werewolves know when we're being lied to. But we also know when you're using the truth to hide something else. I'm begging you to please tell me whatever it is that you're not telling me."

"Because I know you won't like it," Stiles admitted.

Derek placed the jar of mud on his bedside table. "I thought we finally got to a place where we trusted one another."

The hurt in Derek's voice shattered Stiles, who immediately sat up, sending mud flying. "Derek, I _do_ trust you."

"Obviously not enough," he said thinly, with the broken voice of a man who was clearly heartbroken.

"Never think that!" Stiles urged. "The secrets I'm keeping are so that I might keep you and Isaac safe. I will _not_ risk your lives. If I have to make certain sacrifices, then so be it—just as long as you two are safe when all is said and done."

The Alpha sighed, not entirely convinced, but he motioned for Stiles to once again lie down so that he could finish applying the runes.

* * *

Peter couldn't peel his eyes away from the marks, which were now permanently imbedded into Stiles' skin. He licked his lips hungrily. "As if you couldn't get sexier… So tell me, did my nephew knot you?"

"It's none of your business," Stiles reminded him, warningly. The runes brought with them a sense of powerful rage that he had to work to keep contained. He figured they were a side-effect of the magic now flowing through him. He handed Peter an envelope that was sealed with the mark that he was bestowed at his coronation: The symbol of the Prince of San Francisco. The envelope bowed outward in the bottom left corner, Peter squeezed that part and instantly felt what it was. It was Stiles' wedding ring.

"You've performed the blessing?" Peter asked.

Stiles sighed and slowly nodded. Isaac ran into the room, his eyes looking wild with panic. Allison followed closely behind, her jaw set in a way that made Stiles feel nervous. "What is it?" Stiles asked.

"The Calaveras have invaded. The Alphas of the southern parts of the Territory have evacuated as many people as they can, but the Calaveras are here… and they're demanding to speak to you and the King," Allison said.

"They're demanding to slaughter you and the King is more accurate," Peter muttered. He turned his attention to his adoptive grand-nephew. "Does Derek know?"

"I'm not sure," Isaac sputtered.

"I need you to get to Beacon Hills," Stiles ordered. "There, you'll be taken to the safe house that we're keeping Laura in. Do not come back to Sacramento until you get an all clear from Derek."

"I want to fight," Isaac protested. "Cora's going to fight and Allison, too. Therefore I want to fight."

"The Calaveras said that if we hand over Lauren—" Allison paused, correcting herself. " _Lamia_ , then they'll retreat with no unnecessary bloodshed."

"How exactly do they define ' _necessary bloodshed_ ,'" Peter asked, putting words to what everyone else had been secretly wondering. "The moment they have the snake-bitch, they'll slaughter any of us present and say it was aggression. What else do you need to do to summon the goddess?"

"I just need to say the incantation," Stiles said. "Where the fuck is Derek?"

Cora came in, looking pale. "Derek is on his way to make the exchange."

Stiles swore loudly. He turned to Peter. "I'm going to invoke the goddess. Make sure Derek gets that letter. Cora, I need you to call everyone on our side. Have them meet at the exchange location. Go." When Cora left, Stiles made sure Isaac and Allison were gone, too. He then addressed Peter once more. "If the ring doesn't work, I need you to also give Derek this letter. And then I need for you to do what we discussed."

Peter hesitantly took the additional letter. Stiles walked outside, giving himself distance from the people he loved. He began the incantation. "Iussu quator elementorum Nantosuelta adhibeo. Et si tradidero corpus constringo potestate, hoc est judicium." He fell to his knees in agony. His skin burned where the runes were painted. He tried to scream, but he couldn't manage to make a sound through the pain. It felt as if he were being roasted from the inside. His blood moved slowly and hotly through his veins like lava. He felt his insides melting and tearing and then he felt _her._ The power and rage that came with her was unimaginable.

He thought that she would overtake him. Instead, she seemed to coexist within his head, though he could feel the power radiating off of himself. Peter's eyes flashed briefly, his wolf sensing the threat of the deity's presence. When Nantosuelta spoke, it was like thunder and crashing waves. "We have an appointment on the battlefield," she said. It felt strange to Stiles to have someone speaking through his mouth. Nantosuelta moved his hands in a pattern that Stiles recognized as being some sort of rune. Suddenly, he felt as though he were squished and sucked into dark obvivon. His lungs fought for air, but he couldn't breathe.

_Do not struggle,_ Nantosuelta told him. _When the time comes, I will give you all the power you need._

Light surrounded him. It was hot and it took a moment for Stiles to realize that people were all around him. They all looked around, trying to figure out how they had ended up there as well. Amidst the crowd, Stiles only had eyes for one person. He tried to run toward his husband, but Nantosuelta kept him stationary. _Look across,_ she told him. She forced his head to turn slightly. At the other end of a field were amassed hundreds of Hunters.

"You brought us here to be slaughtered," Stiles whispered angrily to the Deity trapped within him.

_I brought you all here to end a feud that has been raging for centuries. Lamia is an abomination that should not have been allowed to exist. She is threatening a peace that was sorely won. This peace must not be allowed to break,_ Nantosuelta said. Her voice boomed inside Stiles' head, causing agony.

"Then you should have kept them away," Stiles exclaimed. "You should not have brought them here where they could get hurt!" In the distance, Stiles heard Derek shouting orders. Both Isaac and Laura were here and Derek was furiously trying to get them both to leave and head toward safety.

"I'm not leaving my parents!" Isaac shouted back.

Stiles heard Derek's booming response. "I AM YOUR ALPHA AND YOU WILL DO AS YOU ARE TOLD!"

Nantosuelta's voice exploded in Stiles' head like a volcano. Each syllable caused agony. _The choice now sits with you, Stiles. How must we approach this? Do we simply strip her of her powers and allow Derek to deal the finishing blow? Do we obliterate her right here? Choices… choices..._

Stiles carefully considered the possibilities. If they removed Lamia's immortality, she and Derek could fight and prove to all that Derek was the Alpha they needed. Or he could show a terrifying display of his own power and prove that even without the Werewolves, this Territory would not fall prey to tyranny ever again. Then Stiles realized one sobering possibility. Derek might not win that fight. Could he really stomach the sight of watching Derek die? Could he survive that? Would everyone surrounding him survive the explosion of rage, grief, and power that might result from that?

With an almost bored flick of his wrist, Stiles released a flow of power and energy that struck Lamia square in the chest. She shot him a dangerous glare and transformed. Stiles had decided. He was going to end this. If he ended himself in the process, that was all the better. "Protect the people I love," Stiles begged of the goddess residing inside him.

A gust of wind seemed to force everyone on his side of the clearing back, Derek included. Stiles gave one last loving, longing look at his husband and a proud smile to his son before walking forward. The wind circled around him, picking him up into the air. In her snake form, Lamia was huge. The scales reflected the light like millions of emeralds and they were nearly as hard. Stiles fought hard to keep the goddess from completely obliterating everything in the field, instead focusing on only one target. He called down a powerful bolt of lightning from the sky. It struck Lamia, knocking her backwards. Stiles didn't see the Hunter who loosed their arrow toward the Werewolves. He barely even noticed the chaos that erupted on the ground beneath him. He dodged her long tail, which had erupted with a venomous spike that seemed intent on trying to pierce his body.

"Protect my family," Stiles ordered of the goddess. "Keep them safe and healthy."

_I will, but only if you kill her,_ Nantosuelta replied.

The cacophony of battle raged beneath him. Stiles heard shouts, only distantly recognizing them as Derek and Scott shouting orders. In the back of his mind, Stiles recognized the sounds of roars from the Werewolves. There were screams of pain, though whether or not they were human was completely lost to him. He had the nagging urge to help his family, but Nantosuelta tugged his focus back toward the snake woman. She hissed in a language that Stiles didn't recognize, but Nantosuelta did. "What did she say?" Stiles asked.

_She said she was going to kill your family and make you watch,_ Nantosuelta told him. _Why are you waiting? You can spread her atoms to the four winds with a single thought. So_ _ **think it**_ _!_

"I can't give in to that," Stiles said as Lamia tossed him 40 yards. The elements protected him from any real harm.

_Do it. End this fight so you can save your family,_ Nantosuelta goaded.

Stiles slammed his fist into the ground. It split open in a straight line toward the snake woman. She tried to escape, but the rift caught up with her. With a grunt of effort, Stiles pushed the two pieces of earth back together, trapping her.

His body felt hot from the rage coming off him. The unmistakable scream of "Isaac, no!" shook Stiles out of his hesitancy. Stiles sent blow after blow. Pure elemental fury drove him until at last, he thought the thing the goddess wanted him to. Die. Nantosuelta compelled him forward. The fighting around him stopped as he began to glow brightly.

_Touch her,_ she told him.

"Why?"

_Because that is how you will destroy her._

Stiles reached out his hand and placed it on her writhing form. The golden glow transferred from him to Lamia. She screamed and then melted away into dust. Stiles turned around, facing the frozen battle. "The next Hunter who raises a weapon against one of my allies will also be killed," he announced. "Although it will be much slower and more painful than what Lamia got."

"You are all unfit for life on this Earth!" one of the hunters said, firing an arrow at Stiles. A gust of wind came up, bowing the arrow back. It pierced the hunter's heart. Stiles was surprised to see that the death took much longer than in the movies.

"I said no more. This territory is protected. Hunters are no longer welcome here," Stiles shouted angrily.

An old woman stepped forward. Despite her age and size, she looked deadly. "Then you will send the Argent girl with us."

"Allison Argent is one of the few decent hunters left in this world," Derek said, finally moving toward Stiles. "Get out of my Territory."

"You cannot have it both ways, Derek Hale," the old woman warned in her heavy Spanish accent. "That is the problem with you Werewolves. If you give us Allison Argent, we will all leave immediately and never return. You have my word as the leader of the Calaveras family."

"Your word means shit to me," Stiles said, spitting on the ground at her feet.

_Kill her,_ Nantosuelta urged. _Kill all of them. What have they ever done for you but bring you pain? They killed Derek's family and forced him to be King. If the Hunters hadn't started that war to begin with, you'd be a regular man. You'd have gotten married to Lydia. You would be the son of a small-town sheriff and able to live your life in peace and quiet. They took all of that from you. Make them pay for what they stole. Make them pay with their lives._

Stiles considered the goddess' words. They rang through his head with truth. The Hunters also gave him Derek and the life they've built together. He would never have gotten the opportunity to work with so many amazing children. He would never have met Isaac, or had the privilege to become that boy's father. Sure, they created the situation in which he was forced to leave Lydia, but she was happy now. And so was he. He was happy with Derek and he wouldn't trade that for anything. He felt something within him, something he remembered as being 'love'. He could feel the goddess take hold of that emotion and crush it until it was nothing more than a distant memory.

_You will do as you are told!_ the goddess hissed.

While he still had enough wherewithal to do so, he said the words to release her. Light erupted from his eyes, mouth, and fingertips. For a moment, he felt weak, but then he simply felt empty.

"You stupid boy, _tsk tsk tsk,_ " Araya Calavera said. "You should not have released the goddess so soon. We may fear a deity, but we do not fear you by yourself."

Stiles' voice was flat and emotionless, which made it even scarier for Derek. "Haven't you heard? I'm an Enforcer. I'm powerful enough to kill you all without that incessant goddess harping inside my head. The King has given you an order. You will obey it or you will die."

One of Araya's guards moved forward. Stiles reached out his hand. This hollow, emotionless new version of him found it harder to reach inward for his power, but he did so anyway. He used his power over water to take hold of the man's blood. Slowly, he spread his fingers and the blood began oozing out of the man's ears, eyes, mouth, nose, and pores. With a quick jerk of his hand, Stiles showered everyone within 30 feet with the man's blood.

Araya stepped back, as shocked as everyone at what Stiles had done. Peter approached Derek, handing him the envelope. "Derek, you need this."

"Not now, Peter," Derek growled. "Stiles, why did you do that?"

Stiles merely glared at Derek. "Because it felt good."

Derek was visibly horrified by Stiles' reply. "This is not how we run things, Stiles, and you know it. What's wrong with you? I thought you released Nantosuelta."

"Derek, open the fucking envelope!" Peter interjected. "It will explain everything."

Slowly, Derek ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter, allowing the enclosed ring to fall into his hand. At that moment, he looked over, noticing for the first time that Stiles was not wearing his wedding ring. He read the letter to himself.

> _Derek,_
> 
> _I have no idea what to say in this letter. I just know that it must be written. There was one major risk to the option we used. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd say know and I knew you'd never risk me, even if it was going to save everyone else. Taking a deity into your body destroys everything human about you. It destroys your ability to feel love and kindness and happiness._
> 
> _Luckily, Peter knew of a possible failsafe. The ring has been blessed. I imbued it with everything that Nantosuelta would take away from me. The hope is that by placing the ring on my finger, it will restore those emotions. However if it doesn't, I've already asked Peter to do what must be done. The amount of power I have with nothing to keep me from using it for the worst reasons—I can't be allowed to live. So if you use the ring and it doesn't work, I beg you: let Peter take me out._
> 
> _Please forgive me for lying. I want you to know how much I love you and Isaac._
> 
> _All my love,_
> 
> _Stiles_

Derek looked up at his husband. "Stiles, put on the ring," he said softly, though the command was no less there.

"I don't want to," Stiles replied stubbornly.

"I'm not giving you an option," Derek said, handing the ring over to his husband. "Put the ring on. Now."

Stiles reluctantly took the ring and placed it on his finger. He felt everything rush back to him, so intensely that the darkness swept over him, swallowing him down.

* * *

As Stiles woke, he could feel the familiar cradle of his own bed. The soft sheets and warm blanket that surrounded him seemed to draw him back. He alternated between the dark abyss and something less than consciousness. He was vaguely aware of a warm furry presence near him. He felt the wet, cold nose on his arm and a gentle licking on his hand. _When did we get a dog?_ he wondered as he tried to force himself to the surface. He saw a large black dog curled up next to him as he blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light filtering in from the windows. As near as Stiles could tell, it was nearly sunset. He had no idea how much time had been out.

The dog sensed him stirring and whimpered. He lifted his furry head as Stiles sat up. Stiles was more aware of the ring on his finger than he had ever been in his entire marriage. It felt heavy and hot. "Who are you?" he asked, scratching the dog behind his ears and his tail began thumping against the bed. The dog got up and stepped over Stiles so that he was standing over him, his legs on either side of the human. The dog began licking his face and wagging his tail excitedly. It wasn't until Stiles saw it standing up that he realized it was actually a wolf.

Stiles laughed and continued petting the wolf until its eyes flashed bright red. "Derek?" The wolf smiled and then shifted. Suddenly Derek was perched over him, smiling widely and completely naked.

"You're awake!" he exclaimed.

"And you can turn into a wolf!"

"When you passed out, Araya Calavera tried to kill you and so I killed her. The remaining Hunters took my terms of surrender. For some reason, that was what triggered my ability to change completely," he explained. "The only obvious downside is that I'm naked when I change."

Stiles smiled as he craned his neck up to kiss Derek, wrapping his arms around his husband's warm body, pulling the soft, supple skin and hard muscles down on top of him. Derek laughed an almost boyish giggle. "I'm glad the ring worked," Stiles whispered between kisses.

"I'm still mad about that, but we'll discuss that after you've rested," Derek said non-confrontationally. "Is she gone?"

"Yeah, only the marks on my skin and my inability to feel any good emotions are left of my time hosting her," Stiles replied. "How long was I out?"

"About a week and a half. Laura kept making you drink water with sugar and vitamins so you wouldn't starve to death. We tried hooking you up to an IV, but your skin has become as hard as rock. We can only guess that she left you with some additional protection or abilities," Derek surmised.

Stiles fixated one the first part of what Derek had just said. He was starting to have some difficulty following the conversation, proving Derek's words that he needed to rest. Unconsciousness was not sleep. "Laura was here?"

"Yeah," Derek replied. "Something happened right after you killed Lamia. Whatever it was causing her to no longer be able to connect to her wolf… it's not affecting her anymore. She's my new second-in-command. But enough for now. You need to rest. I'll let everyone know you're alright."

Derek moved to get up, but Stiles pulled him back down. "Will you please stay with me for a little while longer?"

His voice was soft as he replied, "Of course." He snuggled back in beside Stiles. "By the way, you're the only one who knows about the full transformation. I'd like to keep it that way for now."

"Ok," Stiles replied, resting his head on Derek's chest, intertwining their legs. Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles. Stiles could hear the steady beat of Derek's heart and he was once again asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Happy belated holidays and happy new year as well. Sorry for how long this took. I had some computer issues, but I got a new computer for Christmas and immediately set out to writing this chapter. I hope you enjoyed. I think there might be one, maybe two more chapters left in this story.


	17. Chapter 17

Stiles sat in his bed playing with the gold ring on his finger. It once again felt heavy, like it did when they first got married. Back then it represented obligation. Now it was hot and constantly pulling at him and represented something else entirely. Now it represented his humanity, and—due to the plan of his own design, should the ring ever be lost—it also represented his life.

He was amazed at how much his relationship with this little ring of shiny metal had changed in the short amount of time that he wore it. He hated taking it off because of how cold and empty he felt inside and how hard of a time his loved ones had of getting it back on him when he did. The dark void within him, left by the deity, enjoyed being the only thing in his mind.

Derek padded into the room in wolf form and jumped on the bed. He circled a few times and then curled up. "Derek, you know how I feel about you coming up onto the bed when you're fully shifted! You're going to get fur everywhere. And God help us if you get fleas!"

Derek whined before shifting back. His ability fully transform had garnered him immense respect from the other Alphas. A Werewolf was only capable of a full-wolf transformation when they were completely in tune with their human and wolf selves. "I will not get fleas!" Derek said indignantly. He then apologized for always being naked when he shifted.

"I'm starting to think that you're not so much sorry as wanting to have sex," Stiles replied, raising an eyebrow. "Which for the record, I am totally fine with."

Derek grinned and moved on top of Stiles with lightning speed, kissing and grinding on him as he pulled off his husband's clothes, tossing them haphazardly around the room. Stiles had been so bored in the Sacramento mansion during the days while Derek was meeting with the Monarchs of the other territories. They had specifically requested that Stiles not be there at the meeting. Derek's kisses moved to Stiles' neck, sending shivers up his spine.

"What happened at the meeting today that's gotten you so frisky?" Stiles asked, laughing as Derek's beard tickled the sensitive skin on his neck.

Derek paused, sighed, and flopped over onto his back. "I was honestly getting 'frisky' to try and _forget_ that whole meeting."

Stiles moved up against the headboard. "What happened?"

"I was given an ultimatum by the other monarchs. They don't like the amount of power we've amassed in our Royal family. They held a vote—your father and I voted against it, of course—but it was four against two," Derek said. His voice was distant and Stiles could hear in it how much he despised having to tell him what he was about to.

Stiles swallowed hard and trembled slightly. "What did they vote to do to me?"

"Well," Derek said, swallowing as well. "They said that in the case of Enforcers, they would lose their connection to the elements if they were able to survive the bite." Derek's voice cracked. "Few Enforcers ever did because their lives were already so entangled with the supernatural. We also don't know how it would affect your tie to that ring… There's so much I just don't know…"

"You said it was an ultimatum," Stiles said, trying and failing from keeping his voice from also cracking. "What was the alternative offered?"

"The alternative was that I renounce the Hale line's ties to the Territory in place of Scott McCall," Derek replied.

Stiles knew which option Derek was leaning toward. In his mind, it would be the only valid option. Stiles also knew that Derek was wrong. He put his hand on his husband's. "Your mother died in her fight to ensure the safety of the Territory. You cannot give that up for me. I won't let you. You owe it to her to ensure that the Alpha of the Territory is a Hale, whether by blood or by bite."

"I will never put you in danger," Derek exclaimed dismissively.

"I'm not giving you an alternative, Derek. Your family has sacrificed too much— _you have sacrificed too much_!" Stiles told him. "Give me the bite. We both know that I'm too fucking stubborn to die from it. And even if I do, at least you'll still be the Alpha… you'll still be this Territory's King."

"At what cost?" Derek's reply was as sad as it was soft.

"I love Scott. You know he's like a brother to me. But he has never wanted to be King. He's happy to advise you. He won't let you give up, either. And you know what Satomi would say."

"You've never wanted to be a Werewolf," Derek said. Stiles knew he was reaching for anything he could.

"I also never wanted to be married to Derek Hale. Things change. People change," Stiles replied. "Now I couldn't imagine being married to anyone else but you and I won't let you do something you'll end up regretting."

"If I give you the bite and you die from it, don't you think I would live with that regret every second of my life after that?" Derek said. Tears began to stream down his cheeks. "If I killed you, Stiles… it would destroy me. Isn't that why you set up your little plan with Peter as the one who would deal the killing blow?"

"That was different."

"How is it different?" Derek demanded, his voice rising.

"Because in this instance, I am of sound mind and able to choose."

"And where is my choice, Stiles?" Derek asked. "At what point do I get to decide my fate? When do I get to decide my destiny?"

"You don't have to be the Alpha who bites me. I can ask Scott or Satomi. Either of them will do it. If I die, your hands will be clean." Stiles caressed Derek's cheek with the tips of his fingers before wiping the tears away. "If we don't, I'm still just a ticking time bomb. If anything happens to that ring, I could do awful things to you and the people I love before Peter has a chance to kill me."

"Do you really want this?" Derek asked, blinking even more tears from his eyes.

Stiles thought for a moment—truly _thought_ about the decision he was making—before nodding. "Yes."

"Ok."

"I'll call Scott," Stiles said turning and reaching for his phone.

"Don't," Derek grabbed Stiles' arm and pulled it back. "I will turn you. Just… make love to me one time before we do this." Derek leaned forward and kissed his husband. It was gentle at first before taking on a desperate urgency that Stiles could feel in his core.

Their fingers intertwined and Derek held Stiles' hands against the bed as he ground his body against the human's. Every move… every touch… every kiss… passion seemed to radiate off of Derek in a way that it had never done before, even in their best times. Stiles came four times before Derek allowed himself to reach orgasm. When he did, his teeth sank into the soft, pale flesh of Stiles' shoulder.

Surprised by the sudden burst of pain, Stiles cried out. Derek retracted his teeth. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Stiles said. "And now we wait?"

"And now we wait."

* * *

The red fox loped easily through the field. As a human, he couldn't get through the trail to this small oasis that he and Derek had come to love. It offered them privacy. The large black wolf came up behind him, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.

The fox's shrewd eyes watched him before turning to drink the water from the pond. After his thirst was sated he turned around, waiting on Derek to catch up.

With his Alpha eyes, he was able to see Stiles' other tails. They had an ethereal glow and faded as he shifted. Seeing the wolf change, Stiles also shifted. His golden eyes faded into a soft brown and Stiles laughed, kicking his feet into the water. They had been ruling the Territory for more than 75 years. Allison had taken over as the Human Royal and hers and Isaac's daughter—Stiles' and Derek's granddaughter—was now on the throne representing the Humans. There was a giant statue in Sacramento of Derek and Stiles in their shifted forms, commemorating their success in keeping the Territory safe.

Though so much time had passed, Stiles and Derek only looked to be in their early 40s, though the beginnings of some gray were threatening to appear in Derek's dark hair. Stiles refused to allow Derek to dye it, though. He thought the gray made his husband look so much more handsome and distinguished.

The two of them swam in the pond, playfully splashing at one another until it was time for them to head back. Today was their anniversary and they had reservations at a wonderful restaurant.

Though Allison had long-since passed, Isaac had been ever the devoted father to their daughter and continuously hinted at his desire to become a grandfather. It pained him to think that he would outlive his child, but Derek explained that for supernatural creatures, it was the price of loving humans.

"I think Uncle Peter is going to meet us there," Cora said, meeting them in the hallway. "But we need to hurry! We're going to be late."

"Isaac!" Laura called. "You've changed your scarf five times. Pick one and let's go!"

"Excuse me for wanting to look good at my dads' anniversary party!" Isaac quipped as they all filed out to the limousine.

Dinner that night was one of the best events in their long lives. It was a celebration of their love and their time together.

And so life went on for them until Derek, being a Werewolf and not a kitsune, eventually died, only a few days after their 164th wedding anniversary. By that point, Derek had become one of the most respected Alphas in history. The last thing Derek heard was Stiles whispering "I love you," and gently kissing his forehead.

* * *

"Derek?" Scott McCall's voice rang through his ears, jolting him from the peace beyond this life. Derek forced himself back. It took him a few moments to register his surroundings.

"Scott? When did you die?"

"I'm alive," Scott replied softly.

Kira joined them and suddenly Derek was aware that he and Stiles were naked. He covered himself with the sheets. The smell of decay assaulted his nostrils. Derek forced himself not to look over, knowing what he would see. "I lived a full life with Stiles. I died of old age… More than 160 years with him…"

"Derek, Stiles turned into a kitsune. Some of us can create incredibly powerful, realistic illusions," Kira said. "The most powerful ones can only be shattered by priests."

Tears began to pour from Derek's cheeks as he realized the beautiful life he had seen with Stiles, the 164 years had all been a lie. He clutched at Stiles' lifeless body. Black blood oozed from the puncture wound on his shoulder and the corners of his mouth.

"He's gone," Scott said, trying to grasp it, himself. It felt as though the wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

"I never got to say goodbye," Derek kept repeating. "I never got to tell him I love him. I never got to…"

Flags across all three Territories were lowered to half-staff in honor of Stiles. Isaac refused to come out of his room for the funeral.

"Isaac, I can't face this without you. Please," Derek managed. His voice was barely above a whisper and cracked with every syllable. Losing his Mate had made him feel as though his insides were scooped out and scattered for the world to see. He couldn't feel his wolf.

"And I can't bury him," Isaac said, still refusing to leave his room.

"Let him grieve," Laura said, taking her brother's arm and leading him out the door.

Kira and Scott rode to the funeral with him. For the most part, the ride was silent until Derek finally spoke. "Why couldn't I have had that life with him? We were all happy… every single one of us ended up happy. Why did he have to show me that…"

"Stiles gave you an incredible gift," Scott said. "He gave you the chance to experience every second of happiness and love that he knew he couldn't otherwise give to you. In the span of only a few hours, he gave you a lifetime of memories to cherish."

* * *

It took years before Derek was able to feel his wolf again. Though werewolves healed quickly from physical injuries, their emotional ones left deep, ragged wounds. There were times when Scott had to fill in for him at official events.

It wasn't until he woke up one morning to find a fox playing on the yard did he even smile. At a closer look, he saw that the fox had way more tails than a normal fox should. He realized that day was their wedding anniversary and knew instantly that the fox was Stiles. With only his boxers on, he ran outside, but it was gone by the time he reached the spot he'd seen it.

Isaac came outside and sat down on the ground next to his father. "You saw the fox, didn't you?" he asked.

"You mean you saw him too?" Derek asked urgently. "It was Stiles! It was him… I know it."

"Dad," Isaac said, putting his arm around Derek. "He's dead. He's not coming back and we need to accept that."

"The fox had multiple tails, Isaac!" Derek insisted. "It wasn't just a regular fox!"

"It had one tail it was moving quickly. Dad… I know you want to hold some sort of hope and I get that. But you can't keep working yourself up every year on this day. It's starting to scare me," Isaac said.

"Please believe me," Derek begged. "Please. I saw the extra tails when I looked with these eyes…" He flashed his red Alpha eyes.

Isaac shook his head as he rose to his feet. "I can't help you self-destruct like this. You need to see a grief counselor."

Derek looked up at his son. "I need you to believe me, Isaac. Listen to my heartbeat."

"It just proves that you believe what you're saying," Isaac reasoned. "Look… he would want you to be happy and to live as fulfilling a life as you possibly could. He wouldn't even recognize this version of you. He died so that you could continue to be our Alpha… our King. Honor him and immortalize him through that. Let everything you do be a testament to him."

Derek began to cry again, hugging his knees close to his chest. "He's my Mate. It's not that easy."

Isaac pulled something out of his pocket. He took one of Derek's hands in his and placed the small golden ring into the palm. "Carrying this helped me. Maybe it's time for it to help you."

"Don't give up on me," Derek said in a small voice. "Please, Isaac."

"I would never give up on you, Dad," Isaac said. "Ever."

* * *

And so Derek Hale slowly attempted to resume his obligations as the Alpha. Although there were still times when he would slip into depressive states: the first time he found someone else attractive, when people or situations would remind him of Stiles, and when the media would air stories on the anniversary of his death. During these periods, Derek would retreat. Uneaten meals piled up at the door, cleared away by maids. He would stay in bed, only getting up to use the bathroom. It became obvious to everyone that he was slowly dying of a broken heart.

A bright burst of light from curtains suddenly being pulled open. The tall, looming figure of Peter Hale stood there over the bed, shrouded in light filtering in from the windows. Dust moots danced in the air, knocked free from the fabric of the curtain. "Get up," Peter demanded.

Derek covered his head with the pillow. "Go away."

"You smell like a gerbil cage… You need to take a shower, get up, and rejoin life. Your mother and your husband would be appalled right now," Peter said, pulling the blankets off of his nephew and throwing them out the window.

"My mother and my husband are both dead," Derek growled.

"And you seem to be slowly trying to join them. I could fashion a noose for you… you'd get there faster," Peter pointed out. "Or how about a nice wolfsbane and mistletoe tea?"

"What you just said is technically treason," warned Derek.

"It _would_ be if you were still the King. But I'm not looking at a king. I'm looking at a pathetic excuse for a Werewolf that Stiles and Talia would have been ashamed to know. Where is my Alpha? Where is the nephew who stared down Deucalion the Demon Wolf? Where's the fearsome Alpha who killed Araya Calavera?"

"He had Stiles by his side," Derek replied hoarsely.

"Then you need to do it for the people who are still alive… or do you really want to take yet _another_ father from Isaac? Because if so, you are far more cruel than I could ever hope to be," Peter said. "Even _I_ want to protect that kid from heartache."

Derek sighed. "I lost my _mate_. You don't know what that's like."

"I do," said a small voice from the doorway. It was Laura. "It feels like half of you is missing and the sun will never rise again."

"Exactly," Derek said.

Laura approached her brother's bed. "But Derek, the sun _has risen_. And it sets. And it continues to do so day after day while the Territory moves closer and closer to removing the Hales from power. I would give anything to bring my Mate back to life… to speak with him one last time. But these things just can't be done."

Peter stared off into space. "What if it could be?"

Laura looked murderous. "But it can't be," she hissed.

"It can. If we had Stiles' claws… we could let you talk to him one last time," Peter said. "It's something that was done in my old pack once—a long time ago."

"It sounds like bullshit," said Derek bluntly.

"It could help you get the closure you need," Peter replied.

"Then you can try," Derek shrugged. "But when it doesn't work, I want to be left alone. Let Scott McCall rule the territory."


	18. Epilogue

Peter took a week to get everything together that he needed. When he finally had Stiles' claws, he sat Derek down in a chair. "This is going to hurt," he warned.

Derek felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and suddenly he was standing in front of the Nemeton. A red fox with nine tails stepped up onto it. It cocked its head to the side and then shifted. Suddenly, Stiles was looking at him with his big, sorrowful brown eyes. "Hello, Derek," he said softly.

"Stiles…" the Werewolf breathed before rushing forward. He tried to hug his Mate, but his arms went right through him.

"I'm only here in spirit," Stiles said. "We don't have much time. You look so sad."

"I don't know how to function without you in my life," Derek replied.

Stiles shrugged, sitting down on the stump of the Nemeton and looked up at his husband. "I've been in your life. You've just allowed yourself to be convinced otherwise."

"The fox…" Derek whispered and Stiles nodded. "But you've always disappeared when I tried to come after you."

"Because what good is it for you to chase after the past? The ink on those pages is dry," Stiles replied.

"And the illusion you locked me into… why?"

"So that you could have the memories of the life we should have had to get you through. I'll admit that if I had known that you would let yourself waste away in your bed, I would never have done that," Stiles said. Derek began to cry. "Why are you crying, my love?"

"Because I miss you," Derek said softly.

Stiles shook his head, waving his arm to indicate the empty room in which they stood. "Nobody else can hear us. There's no need to lie."

"You're my Mate. I lost half of myself without you," Derek said and again Stiles shook his head. He now knew what Stiles was trying to get him to admit and it was too awful to put into words.

"Derek, you need to say it so you can let go of it," Stiles said encouragingly.

A painful lump formed in the back of Derek's throat, choking off words as his chest heaved in grief and guilt. He sank to his knees. "Because it was me who killed you," he said. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"There you said it," Stiles said, smiling. "And now that you've gotten that out of yourself, maybe you can start to heal."

"I can't forgive myself," Derek said.

"There's nothing to forgive yourself for," Stiles replied. "You didn't kill me. I could never have survived the bite after how Nantosuelta left my body and mind."

"But you were wearing the ring," Derek insisted.

"That ring was barely a band-aid trying to treat a wound that required stitches," Stiles replied. "I didn't even realize it until after I died and could finally be complete again. So you can let go of the guilt, Derek. You can move on."

"You won't be mad?"

Stiles moved to kneel in front of his husband. "How could I ever be mad as long as you're happy in your life? That's all I ever wanted for you."

"Will you continue to visit?" Derek asked. The desperation in his tone told Stiles he was begging for this more than asking if it would happen.

"Only if I think it won't do you any further harm," Stiles said.

"I love you, Stiles," Derek said.

"And I love you," Stiles replied, leaning forward. His lips brushed Derek's and then he was gone and once again, Derek was alone, save for Peter, who retracted the claws from the base of Derek's neck.

His cheeks were wet as he opened his eyes. The holes in the nape of his neck easily healed. He took a ragged breath before turning to look at his uncle. "It worked," he said simply.

"And how do you feel?"

Derek thought for a moment before simply replying, "Better."

* * *

 

Scott stood as Derek entered the room, looking dapper in his suit. A thin gold chain hung around his neck, on it was Stiles' ring. It felt warm against Derek's chest. "It's good to have you back," Scott said with a smile.

"It's good to be back," Derek admitted.

"I finished up the negotiations to sell the orphanage, like you requested," Scott said, handing the contract to Derek to sign. Derek swiftly tore it up.

"We're not selling it," Derek replied. "Honestly, I was wondering if you and Kira might want to take it over."

Scott grinned. "That would be awesome."

Resuming his place as Alpha seemed strange without Stiles by his side, but he strove to ensure that the Territory was a place Stiles would be proud of.

Every once in a while, he would see the fox and smile, knowing that Stiles approved of his actions.

When General Stilinski died of old age, Derek had him buried next to his wife and son in Beacon Hills and Allison took over as the human leader of the Territory.

The fox was there as Isaac and Allison wed, and again when their first child was born, a boy they named after Stiles. Derek could scarcely remember loving someone so much. He was a doting grandfather and spoiled his grandson rotten. He made it a point to tell his grandson about the man after whom he was named and the sacrifice he made.

"And if you ever look outside and see a fox, that's your Grandpa Stiles watching over you," he said, rocking the infant child to sleep.

Isaac stood in the door watching the two of them. "He'd be very proud of you," he said.

"And of you," Derek replied. "He'd absolutely adore this little one."

"Do you think you'll ever date again?" Isaac asked nonchalantly.

"That's one thing that will never happen," Derek said tersely. "Stiles was my one and only love."

* * *

Derek suffered old age with grace and dignity. It came much, much later in life for him since he was a Werewolf. He could feel the specter of death getting closer behind him, but he didn't fear it. Somehow he knew in his heart of hearts that Stiles would be there to bring him on. And he was right.

Derek Hale, Alpha and King of the Territory of California died at 7:32 AM on the 167th anniversary of his marriage to Stiles—a full three years longer than the illusion Stiles had given him. Isaac sat at his father's bed as it happened, silently crying, and feeling for the first time since Stiles and Derek adopted him so many years ago like an orphan.

When he turned his head to look out the window, he saw a red fox and a large black wolf loping off together, playfully chasing each other around and he did the thing he never imagined he'd do when his father died. He smiled. As they disappeared into the woods together, Isaac noticed his own red eyes reflecting back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading. This story has taken so long to write, but I've enjoyed every minute of it. Let me know how you liked it.


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